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A.N 

ABRIDGMENT 

OF 

THE  BOOK  OF  MARTYRS: 


TO  WHICH   ARE   PREFIXED, 


THE  LIVING  TESTIMONIES  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  GQD,  AND 
FAITHFUL  MARTYRS,  IN  DIFFERENT  AGES  OF  THE    ' 
WORLD;  AND  THE  CORRUPT  FRUITS  OF 
THE  FALSfi  CHURCH, 

/;V  THE  TIME  OF  THE  APOSTACY. 


T,0    THIS    WORK    IS    ANNEXED, 

AN  ACCOUNT 

OF 

THE  JUST  JUDGMENTS  OF  GOD 

ON 

PERSECUTORS,  &c. 

ALSO, 

A  CHRISTIAN  PLEA  AGAINST  PERSECUTION 

FOR 

THE  CAUSE  OF  CONSCIENCE. 


PRINTED  AND  SOLD  BY  SAMUEL  WOOD, 
NO.    357,   PEARL-STREET. 

.••*..M 

1810. 


DISTRICT  OF  yfEW-YORK,  ss  .- 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  the  15th  day  of 
May,  in  the  thirty-fourth  year  of  the  inciepeiidence  of  the  United  States  of 
Amex-ica,  Samuel  Wood,  of  the  said  district,  hath  deposited  in  this  office,  the 
title  of  a  Boak,  the  right  wliereof  he  claims  as  proprietor,  in  the  words  fol- 
lowing, to  wit : 

**  An  Abridg-ment  of  the  Book  of  Mart^Ts  :  to  which  are  prefixed.  The  living, 
testimonies  of  the  church  of  God,  and  faithful  Martyrs,  in  different  ages  of  the 
world  ;  and  the  corrupt  fruits  of  tlie  false  church,  in  the  times  of  the  Apostacy, 
To  this  work  is  annexed,  an  account  of  the  just  judgments  of  God  on  Perse^ 
cutors,  &c.  Also,  A  Christian  Plea  against  Persecution  for  the  cause  of 
Conscience.'* 

In  conformity  to  the  act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  entitled, 
**  An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  leai'ning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  maps, 
cfiai'ts  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during  the 
times  therein  mentioned  :"  And  also,  to  the  act,  entitled,  **  An  act  supple- 
mentary to  an  act,  entitled,  *  An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by 
securing  the  copies  of  maps,  charts  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors 
of  such  copies,  during  the  times  therein  mentioned,'  and  extending  the  bene- 
fits thereof,  to  the  arts  of  designing,  engraving,  and  etching  historical  and 
other  prints." 

CHAR.  CLINTON, 
Clferk  of  the  District  of  New- York 


PREFACE. 


The  publisher  of  this  First  American  Edition  of  *  An 
Abridgment  of  The  Book  of  Martyrs,'  thinks  proper  to  observe, 
that  it  has  not  been  with  a  view  to  revive,  or  to  expose  the  malice, 
or  misguided  zeal  of  the  persecutors,  so  much  as  to  show  the 
excellency  and  sufficiency  of  that  power  and  confidence,  which 
supported  the  sufferers  under  their  keenest  torments  :  nor  is  it 
intended  to  reflect  on  the  liberal  and  enlightened  of  the  present 
day.  It  is  hoped,  that  light  and  knowledge  have  now  so  spread, 
in  various  parts  of  the  world,  that  it  is  not  considered  as  doing 
God  service,  to  destroy  men's  lives,  especially  for  their  religious 
opinions  ;  and  experience  abundantly  shows,  the  good  effects  of 
religious  toleration  ;  and  that  no  man  ought  to  be  accountable  to 
man,  for  his  religious  sentiments  ;  but  that  all  should  have  free 
liberty  to  worship  God,  in  the  way  that  is  most  agreeable  to 
their  o\yn  convictions  of  duty  ;  and  that,  while  their  practice  is 
peaceable,  none  should  be  molested.  God  is  the  only  sovereign 
of  the  conscience,  and  whenever  man  takes  it  upon  him  to  control 
or  direct,  in  these  matters,  he  assumes  the  right  and  preroga- 
tive of  God  himself. 

All  oppression  and  cruelty,  are  hateful  both  to  God  and  man ; 
and  it  is  strange,  that  men  should  conceive  an  opinion,  that  by 
persecuting  and  destroying  the  lives  of  their  fellow  creatures, 
they  would  render  themselves  acceptable  to  that  God,  who  de- 
lighteth  not  in  the  death  of  a  sinner,  but  rather  that  all  should 
return,  repent,  and  live. 

It  is,  indeed,  true,  that  under  the  former  dispensations,  the 
Children  of  Israel  had  positive  orders  from  the  Almighty,  to 
cut  off  nations  whose  cup  of  iniquity  was  full.  But  Christ 
has  given  a  new  and  special  command,  to  love  our  enemies,  &c. 
and  not  even  to  resist  evil. 

Most  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  is  the  death  of  his  saints ; 
and,  surely,  if  a  sparrow  does  not  fall  without  his  notice,  he  will 
not  be  inattentive  to  the  sufferings  of  his  noble  creature,  man,  | 
whose  cries  and  prayers  ascend  both  day  and  night,  like 
sweet  incense,  before  his  throne,  desiring  to  be  preserved  in 
the  way  that  is  most  pleasing  in  his  holy  sight.  His  commands 
are,  "touch  not  mine  anointed,  and  do  mv  prophets  no  harm:*"* 
and  whosoever  oppresses  these,  may  expect  to  receive  their 
just  reward,  both  in  time  and  eternity,  they  that  injure  them, 


I^RETACE. 

will  be  found  fighting  against  God,  who  regardeth  them  as  the 
apple  of  his  eye."  Christ  commanded  to  "  let  the  tares  grow 
with  the  wheat,  lest,  in  destroying  the  former,  the  latter  should 
also  be  rooted  up  ;"  his  special  command  also,  is,  "whatsoever 
ye  would  that  men  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them." 
And  when  his  officious  disciples  would  have  commanded  iire 
from  heaven,  to  consume  those  who  would  not  receive  him, 
he  rebuked  them,  and  said,  "  ye  know  not  what  manner  of 
spirit  ye  are  of.  For  the  Son  of  Man  is  not  come  to  destroy 
men's  lives,  but  to  save  them."  The  whole  tenor  and  spirit  of 
the  gospel  is  love.  It  breathes  '^  peace  on  earth,  and  good  will 
to  men." 

It  may  be  proper  to  remark,  that  as  this  History  of  the  Mar- 
tyrs, he.  is  brought  down  to  a  later  period  than  any  work  of  the 
kind,  heretofore  published,  it  embraces  transactions  and  events 
v/hich  have  occurred  in  America,  and  particularly  in  New-En- 
gland ;  exhibiting  the  operation  of  a  sanguine  and  persecuting 
spirit,  which  prevailed  in  the  early  settlement  of  that  country, 
and  by  which,  the  religious  people,  called  Quakers,  greatly  suf- 
fered. It  is  however  but  justice  due  to  the  present  inhabitants 
of  the  state  of  Massachusetts,  to  observe,  that  so  far  from  ap- 
])roving  the  conduct  of  their  predecessors,  they  are  now  as  much 
distinguished  for  the  mildness  and  liberality  of  their  laws,  and 
kind  treatment  of  this  people,  as  their  predecessors  W'ere  for 
their  cruelty  tovv^ards  them  :  hence,  we  cannot  forbear  to  add, 
that  such  are  the  religious  toleration  of  that  government,  and 
its  regard  to  conscieniious  scruples,  as  not  only  to  excuse  the 
society  of  Friends,  from  personal  military  service,  but  also 
from  any  commutation ;  aji  indulgence,  which,  we  apprehend, 
is  not  so  fully  granted  to  that  people,  by  any  other  state  in  the 
Union.  In  delineating  the  character  of  the  first  settlers  of 
jNTew-England,  and  comparing  it  with  that  of  the  present  day, 
we  are  struck  with  a  contrast,  which,  at  one  view,  evinces  the 
progress  of  light  and  knowledge  ;  and  in  proportion  as  it  per- 
vades the  understanding,  men  are  inclined  to  cherish  that  dis- 
position towards  each  other,  wliich  is  calculated  to  promote  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  '  came  not  to  dettroij^  bat  to  save 
men's  lives.' 

In  commencing  this  work,  it  was  intended  to  give  a  revised 
edition  of  the  Book  of  Martyrs,  as  abridged  by  Ellis  Hookes, 
which  was  first  published  in  England,  in  1719  ;  but,  in  the  pros- 
4  cution,  recourse  being  had  to  a  variety  of  books,  of  esteemed 
authenticity,  it  was  thought  proper  to  select  from  them,  as  ap- 
peared most  suitable  ;  ])articiilarly  from  Southwell's  '  New  Book 
eif  Martyrs,'  and  others,  mentioned  in  the  course  of  the  w^ork. 


CONTENTS. 


PAQ£. 

A  living'  testimony  of  the  True  Churchy       .......       1 

The  corrupt  fruits  of  the  False  Church'i 72 

Persecutions  before  the  coming  of  Christy 103 

after  the  coming  of  Christy ,111 

Persecuted  by  the  Romans^ 115 

Papists^ 129 

Massacre  in  Ireland, 510 

France,       ••....•..,..  513 
An  account  of  the  rise,  progress,  £ifc.  of  the  Inquisition,     .  518 

Persecuted  by  the  Episcopalians, 523 

Persecutions  in  Great-Britain  and  America, 537 

'Persecuted  by  the  Mahometans, ,     .     .  575 

The  just  judgments  of  God  on  Persecutors,     .     .     .     .     ,  578 
A  Plea  against  Pcrseqution, 593 


INDEX 

Of  the  names  of  sufferers  contained  in  this  work* 
The  letter  m.  signifies  martyred. 


A. 

Abel,  m 103 

Abedneg-o,    .     .     •     105 

Arnold, m.  loO 

135 
146 
154 
195 
335 
374 
389 
400 
406 


Acton,  Roger  m,  . 
Ashford,  Agnis 
Antonia,  m.  .  .  . 
Askew,  Anne,  m  . 
Allen,  William,  m. 
Albright,  Ann,  m. 
Ambrose,  Gorge,  m 
Apprice,  John,  m. 
Abington,  Thos.  m. 
Adlinton,  Henry,  m.  407 
Askine,  Thomas,  m.  415 
Archer,  John,  m.  .  429 
Atkin,  Richard 
•  .  '  -  ,  John  , 
Ashdon,   Ann     , 


440 
444 
456 
467 
475 

ib. 

ib. 
504 
509 
^75 

119 

120 

135 

ib. 

142 
ib. 


Allen,  Rose,  m. 
Allerton,  Ralph,  m, 
Awstoo,  James,  m. 
H-«^«,  Margery,  m, 
Ashley,  James,  m. 
^£glda,  Dr.  .  ,  . 
Abdallah,  m.      ,     . 

B. 
X^Vmc^ina,  m.  .  . 
Bas'ihdes,  \t\.  .  . 
Bvo  .vn,  John,  m.  . 
Beverly,  John,  m,  . 
lU-own,  J.  m.      .     . 

,  Richard     ., 

Brewster,  J  mes,  m.  145 
Ec ! :ia. d  Ihomas, m.  147 
aruly,  Peter,  m.  .  157 
Bibiey^  Thomas,  m.  174 
^Javiicid,  Richard/m,  175 
Bainliarn,  James,  m.  176 
Bennct,  Thomas,  m.  180 
Brooke  Thomas  .  193 
Jiarhev,  James  .  .  194 
Bulclier,  Joan,  m.  203 
J^iadford,  Jolm,  m.  294 
l^iirward,  Ant'ny,  m,  335 
IJe-dridge,  peo.  m.  ib. 
Bongey,  Cor.  m^  .  ib. 
|>u,ni^y,  Tiiomas,  m.  341 
ii?c^y/n»  Thomas,  m.   360 


PAGE. 

Beach  Joan,  m,  «  396 
Boyer,  Thomas,  m.  407 
Bernard,  Robert,  m.  412 
Bradbridge,  Matt.  430 
Bongoer,  Richard  .  440 
Barcock,  Robert  .  ib. 
BongxDer,  William  .  ib. 
Barker,  George  .  446 
Bendon,  Alice,  m.  454 
Bradbridge,  Ma.  m,  ib. 
Bongess,' Dennis,  m.  456 
Bongeor,  Wm.  m.  467 
Benliote,  Tomas,  m,  ib. 
Brown,  Chris,  m.  .  507 
Bennet,  Edward  ,  509 
Bryce,  Thomas  .  ib. 
Burtic,  Richard  ,  ib. 
. Catharine  .       ib. 


Barrowe,  Henry,  m.  528 
C. 

Christ,  Jesus,  m.  .  112 
Cyprian,  m.  .  .  .  121 
Clavdon,  John,  m.  137 
Clark,  John,  m.  .  151 
Carpenter,  Geo.  m.  152 
Chapman,  John  .  180 
Cock  James  ...  194 
Cromwell,  Tlios.  m.  199 
Cansion,  Thomas,  m.  256 
Cardmaker,  John,  m.  280 
Carver,  Derick,  m.  306 
Coker,  William,  m.  312 
CoUier,  Richard,  m.  ^i^b^ 
Cobb,  Ti.omas,  m.  335 
Coo,  Roi^.*r,  m.  .  ib. 
Cotmer,  George,  m.  ^ib. 
Joan>  rn.  .       374 


Ci-anmer,  Thos.  m.  375 
Cavili,  John,  m.  .  380 
Croker,  Thomas,  m.  484 
Couch,  Lyon,  m.  .  407 
Cuwches,  Cath.  m.  445 
Ciavk,  Jolm    .     .  429 

Coleman,  Robert  .  440 
Gierke,  ili<-.hard  .  ib. 
Cooper  Elizabeth,  m.  466 
Craslifield,  Rich.  m.  477 
Carman,  Thomas,  m.  498 
Cotton.  St'^nhcn.  m.  502 


PAGE. 

Cooke,  John,  m.     .  504 

Cornford,  John,  m.  507 

Christemas  Thos.  .  509 

Cornet,  John      .     .  ib, 

Crokhay,  Gertrude  ib. 

Constantine,  Dr.     .  ib. 

Coligni,  m.     .       .  513 

Copping,  John,  m.  528 
Christlson,  Weniock  565 

Dimonetus,  Matt.  m.  162 
Debnam,  Robert,  m.  17& 
Damplip,  Adam  .  193 
Dobb,  Thoijias  .  .  207 
Denley,  John,  m.  .  309 
Drake,  Robert,  m.  389 
Drowry,  Thomas,  m.  404 
Denny,  John,  m.  .  405 
Deritall,  John,  m.  .  407 
Dungate  Thomas,  m.  426 
Debnam,  Robert  .  440^ 
Davinish,  John,  m.  497 
Day  Richard,  m.  .  499- 
Denis,  Robert,  m.  .  502 
Driver,  Alice,  m.  .  505 
David,  John,      .     .     506 

,  Henry,    m.       ib. 

Davis,  John,  m.  .  509 
Dyar,  Mary,  m.  .  54o 
Davis,  Nicholas      .       ib. 

E. 
Ehjah,  .....     104 
Eleazar,    .     .     .     .106 
Everastus  (bishop  of 

Rome)  m.  .  .  IIS 
Eusebius,  Vinsen.  .  119 
Erigena,  John  P.  m.  130 
Esch,  John,  m.  .  .  150 
Eucenus,  Franciscus  155 
Euring,  Elyn  .  .  440 
Ewing,  Helen,  m.  467 
Eastland,  Rainld.  m.  503. 

F. 
Frenchman,  Nich.  m.  15S 
Faber,  James,  m.    .     160 
Freese,  Edward     .     17ft 

,  Valentine,  m.  ib. 

Frith,  John,  m.  .  .  179 
Filmer,  Henrv,    m.     192 


INDEX. 


PAGE. 

EoiTct,  Thomas,  m.  202 
Farrer,  Robert,  m.  260 
Flower,  William,  m.  277 
Fust,  Thomas,  m,  326 
Foster,  Isabel,  m.   .     360 

Adam,  m.  .     412 

Fortune,  John  .  414 
Foreman,  Jolin,  m.  416 
Foster,  William,  m.  429 
Final,  Nicholas,  m.  4S0 
Field  Marg-aret  .  440 
Firefanne,  Thomas  ib. 
Fishcock,  John,  m.  454 
Finall,  Baibura,  m.  ib. 
Folk,  Elizabeth,  m.  467 
Fox,  Hugh,  M.  .  .  497 
Fetty,  William,  m.      500 

John        .     .       ib. 

Flovd,  John,  m,  .  504 
Fairfax,  Thomas    .     509 

G 
Gordius,  m.  .  .  .  126 
Grosthcad,  Robert  129 
Gerrard,  .  .  .  130 
Gale,  John  .  .  138 
Goose,  John,  m.  .  139 
Gardner,  Robert  .  178 
Gourley,  Norman,  m.  202 

Georgtf m.  207 

Gardner,  William  .  212 
Glover,  Robert,  m.      335 

John  ,     .     .     33S 

\ViUiam    .     .     ib. 

<>reen,  Bartlet,  m.  360 
George,  Agnes,  m.  407 
Gwin,  John,  m.  .  4J5 
Gilbe-t,  Guil.  m.  .  425 
Glover,  Stephen  .  440 
George ,  Richard  .  i)). 
Gratwick,  Richard     446 

Stephen, ra.    451 

Groves,  Mary,  m.  .  456 
Gibson,  Richard,  m.  483 
Geor^ge,  Chr,  ra.  .  499 
Goucli,  Alex.  m.  .  505 
Groen,  Thomas,  m.  509 
Greenwood,  John,jn,  528 

H. 
Hus,  John,  m.  ,  ,  135 
Harbiock,  Martin,  m.  156 
Hamell,  Godfrey,  m.  160 
Hewett,  Andrew,  m.  180 
Hare,  Ralph  .  .  J94 
Home,  John  .  .  207 
Hooper,  John,  m.  228 
Ifuntcr,  William,  tn.  251 

Higbcd, m.  256 

Ha^vkcs,  Thomas,  m.  284 


PAGE. 

Hooper,  Wm.  m.  .  312 
Harwood,  Steph.  m.  326 
Hale,  William,  m.  ib. 
Hai-pole,  John,  m.  396 
Hammond,  John,  m.  398 
Hutt,  Catharine,  m.  402 
Homes,  Joan,  m.  .  ib. 
Harland,  Thomas,  m.  406 
Hollywell,  Wm.  m.  407 
Hurst,  Ednnmd,  m,  ib. 
Hart,  Jolm,  m.  .  .  429 
Hemp,  Stephen,  m.  430 
Hudson,  Thomas,  m.  ib. 
Hay,  WiUiam,  m.  .  ib. 
Hyde,  Margaret,  m.  447 
Ilusnvm,  Alex.  m.  456 
Hullier,  John,  m.  .  465 
Hlllingdale,  John,m.  483 
Hudson,  Thomas,  m.  498 
Harris,  WiUiam,  m.  499 
Holiday,  John,  m.  504 
Holland,  Roger,  m.  ib. 
Humphrey,  Philip,  m.  506 
Herst,  John,  m.  .  507 
Hunt,  John  .  .  .  509 
Harris,  James  .  .  ib. 
Hurst,  Jefirey  .  .  ib. 
Horton,  Thomas    .       ib. 

I. 
Isaiah,       ....     105 
Ignatius,   (bishop  of 
Antioch)  m.        .     119 

J- 

Jeremiah       .     .     .  105 
John,  the  BaptLst,  m.  Ill 

James,  m.     .     .     .  113 

Ju.stus,    James,    m.  ib. 

John,  St 117 

Julitta,  m.      ...  127 
Jusberge,  Justus,  m.  155 

Jover,  John,  m.       .  162 

Joan m.        .207 

Jo}n,  Simon,  m.     .  398 

Jackson,  Ralph,  m.  407 

Jolly,  liichard    T     .  440 

Johnson,  John,  m.  .  '107 

K. 

King,  Robert,  m.    .  1.58 

Kenecl}-,  Alex.  m.  203 
Knight,  Stej)hen,  m,  257 

King,  Jolm,  m.      .  4.51 

Kniglit,  Cuth.  m.  .  507 

L. 

Lutlicp,  Martlu      ,  MS 

Lc  Blais,  Bert,  m  .  15'J 

Lambert,  John,  m.  189 

Lawrence,  John,  m.  257 

Lcafc,  John,  m.     .  2\H 


PACK. 

Launder,  John,  m.  306 
Lawrence,  Henry,  m.  312 
Latinser,  Hugh,  m.  341 
La.shford,  Joan,  m.  360 
Loilmas,  John,  m.  374 
Lister,  Chris,  m.  .  398 
Laveiock,  Hugh,  m.  400 
Lawson,  Robert,  m.  412 
Lowick,  W.  m.  .  430 
Locker,  Thomas  .  446 
Alice     .     .       ib. 


504 
50^ 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 

ib. 
513 

104 
105 
120 
135 


Loseby,  Thomas,  m.  447 
Lewis,  Joice,  m.  .  473 
Lane,  Alex.  m. 
Living,  WiUiam  . 
Lithall,  John  .  . 
Lawson,  Elizabeth 
Lucy,  Ani^.e  .  .  . 
Lithgow,  WiUiam 
Laboinious,  m.  .     . 

M. 
Mordecai,  .  . 
Meshach,  .  .  . 
Mesila,  m.  .  .  . 
Muf'e,  WiUiam,  n 
Maungin,  Ralph,  m.  138 
Man,  Thomas  .  .  144 
Morden,  James,  m.  147 
Melanct(!n,  ...  148 
Muta,  V/eendell,  m.  153- 
Moice,  Peter,  m.  .  158 
March,  Nichola.s,  m.  178 
lyiai-beck,  John,  v.\.  192 
/iVleekins,  Itichd  m.  193 
Mille,  Walter,  m.  205 
Mar.^h,  George,  m.  266 
Mace,  John,  m.  .  398 
Mili.s,  'I'lKm'.as,  m.  407 
Massey,  Peroiine,  m.  425 
Moor,'ThonKis,  m.  426 
Mount,  William  .  440 
Merse,  Thomas  .  446 
Morant,  William,  m.  451 
Ma\nard,  Wm.  m.  456 
Morris,  Marger}-,  m.   ib. 

James,    m.        ib 

Miller  Simon,  m.  .  466 
Munt,  WiUiam,  m.      467 

Alice,  m.    .       ib. 

Ma!  ing,  Marg.ii ct,m.  490 
Mills,  Robert,  m.  .  502 
Miles,  lv<;beit.  Til,  ,     504 

N. 
Nephews  of  Jude,m.  117 
Nicholas,  ...  154 
Newman,  Johr,  m.  309 
Nicholas, Richard m.  SO^i^ 
NicoU,  Wi!li:tm,  m.     498 


INDEX, 


PAGE. 

o. 

Oecolernpadius,  .  148 
Oswald,  John,  m.  .  406 
Grmes,  Cicely,  m.      504 

P. 
Peter,  Simon,  m.   .     115 
Paul  (the  apostle)  m.    ib. 
Policarp,    (bishop  of 

Smyrna)  m.  .  .  119 
Pontius,  m.  ...  ib. 
Perigrenous,  m.  .  ib. 
Potentionous,  m.  .  ib. 
Potamtena,  m.  .  120 
Peter,  m.  .  .  .  123 
Purvey,  John,  ili.  135 
Prag-ue  Jerome,  m.  136 
Pistbrius,  John,  m.  153 
Percival,  m.  .  .  154 
Polliard,  Stephen,  m.  161 
Philip,  Thomas,  .  183 
Porter,  John,  m.  .  191 
Person,  Anthony,  m.  192 
Pl^^ot,  William,  m.  .  257 
Polly,  Margaret,  m.  303 
Pacicingham,  P.  m.  309 
Pigot,  Robert,  m.  338 
Parke,  Gregory,  m.  358 
Philpot,  John,  m.  .  ib. 
Potter,  Agnes,  m.  388 
Poole,  Edmund,  m,  405 
Pern,  Lawrence,  m.  407 
Peper,  Elizabeth,  m.  ib. 
Palmer,  Julius,  m.  415 
Potkins,  Alice,  m.  429 
Prowting,  W.  m.  .  430 
Philpot,  John,  m.  .  ib. 
Pepper,  Christian  440 
Pardue,  Nicholas,  m.  454 
Purchase,  Wm.  m.  467 
Pikes,  William,  m.  502 
Pond,  Henry,  m.  .  503 
Prest,  EUzabeth,  m.  506 
Perrv,  John,  m.      ,    528 

B. 
Hhais,  m.  .  .  .  120 
Romanus,  ii[i.  •  .  123 
Rave,  Robert,  m.  .  147 
Rennix,  Dennis,  m.  160 
Rus^l,  Jeremy,  m.  203 
Rose,.  .  •  ^  ■ '  .-217 
Ridley,  Nicholas,  m.  341 
Rogews,  John,  m.  .  ib 
Roper,  Gegrge,  m.  358 
Read,  Thomas,  m.  406 
Routh,  John,  m^  .  407 
Ravendale,  Ths.  m.  429 
Ramsev.  Kenrv.  m.     447 


PAGE 

Roth,  Richard,  m.  475 
Rough,  John,  m.  .  490 
Ricarby,  Mat.  m.    .     504 

Roberts, 509 

Rose,  Thomas,  ib. 

Robinson,  Wm.  m.      543 

S 
Shadrach,      .     .     .     105 
Seven  brethren  &  their 

mother,  m.  .  .  107 
Stephen,  m.  ,  .  112 
Sixtus,   (bishop  of 

Rome)  m.  .  .  121 
Sawtry,  William,  m.  130 
Stamford,  Elizabeth  143 
Stillman,  John  .  .  ib. 
Sweeting,  William  145 
Scrivenor,  John,  m.  147 
Stutven,  Henry,  m.  150 
Smith,  WilUam  .  193 
Stratton,  David,  m.  202 
Street,  John  .  .  216 
Saunders,  Lawr.  m.  220 
Steer,  V^ihiam,  m.  312 
Smith,  Robert,  m.  317 
Samuel,  Robert,  m.  326 
Streater,  Robert,  m  335 
Snoth,  Agnes,  m.  374 
Sole,  Joan,  m.  .  ib. 
Spurg,  Richard,  m.    389 

Thomas,  m.      ib. 

Spencer,  John,  m.  398 
Spicer,  Thomas,  m.  405 
Searls,  George,  m.  407 
Sharp,  Edward,  m.  429 
Stephens,  Thomas,  m  430 
Sampson,  AUin  .  440 
Saxby,  John  ,  .  446 
Stanley,  Agnes,  m.  447 
Stephens,  George,  m  456 
Silverside,  Agnes,  m  467 
Sparrow,  Wm.  m.  483 
Simpson,  Cuthbeit,m497 
Seaman,  Wm.  m.  498 
Slade,  John,  m.  .  502 
Southara,  Robert,  m.  504 
Snoth,  Alice,  m-  .  5Q7 
Sprat,  Thomas  .  .  509 
Stevenson,  Marip.  m.  543 

T 
Thorp,  Wm.  m.  .  132 
Turning,  Richd.  m.  137 
Tilman,  Giles,  m.  155 
Thiesten,Nicholas,m  157 
Francis    .      ib. 


I  PAGE. 

I  Tewksberry,  John,  m  175 
I  Tibauld,  John  .  .  180 
Tracy,  William  .  184 
Tindal,  William,  m.  185 
Testwood,  Robert  191 
Taylor,  Rowland  .  237 
Tompkins,  Thos.  m,  249 
Tankerfield,  Geo.m.  314 
Tudson,  John,  m  .  360 
Trunchfield,  Joan,  m.  488 
Tims,  William,  m.  389 
Thackvill,  Ehz.  m.  402 
Tree,  Mary,  m  .  426 
Thyrtell,  Thos.  m.  447 
Thacker,  Elias,  m^     528 

V. 
Voes,  Henry,  m.    ,     150 
Venote,  Florent,  m.     161 

W. 
White,  WilUam,  m.    139 

Joan   ...      ib. 

Wiseheart,  Geo.  m.  204 
White,  Rowlins,  m.  269 
Warne,  John  .  .  280 
Watts,  Thomas,  m.  291 
Wright,  Richard,  m.  312 
Warne,  Ehzabeth,m,  316 
Wolsey, WilUam,  m.  338 
Webb,  John,  m.  .  358 
Whittell,  Thos.  m.  360 
Went,  John,  m.  .  ib. 
Wood,  Thomas,  m.  407 
Wie,  Henry,  ra.  .  ib 
Waste,  Joan,  m.  .  426 
Waterer,  Wm.  m.  430 
Winseley,  Joan  .  440 
Thomas     ib. 


Taylor,  Adrian,  m.      ib. 
,  Mjcrion-,  m.      ib. 


Whitlock,  Agnes  .  ib. 
Warren,  Cicely  .  ib. 
Wallis,  Alice  .  .  ib. 
White,  Nicholas,  m.  454 
Wilson,  Amos,  m.  ib. 
Woodman,  Richd.  m.  456 
Wood,  Thomasin,  m.  ib. 
Wight,  Stephen,  m.  502 
White,  Richard  .  509 
Wilmot  Richard  .  ib. 
WiUiams,  Robert,  m.  ib. 
Watts,  WiUiam  .  ib, 
Winhurst,  Alexander  ib. 
Wood,  Willi^im     ,       ib. 

y. 

Young,  Elizabeth    .      ib. 

Z-. 
Zuingl?u:s,      ,    .    .     14^ 


BRIEF  COLLECTION 


OF 


rHE  HOST  REMARKABLE    PASSAGES  AND  LIVING  TlHSTIMONILS 

/ 

OF 

THE  CHURCH  OF  CWD, 

*     XyiTQ  OF  THE  COHRUPT  FRUITS  GF  THE  FALSE  CHURC  H, 


IH 


THE  timp:  of  thp:  apostac  y 


jl 


A  LIVING  TESTIMONY 

OP 

THE  TRUE  CHURCH. 

PART  I. 

Shows  how  God,  under  the  several  dispensations  ofhinu 
self  to  mankind  always  led  and  guided  his  Church  and 
seed  by  his  Spirit  and  power  to  worship  and  serve  him^ 
and  to  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  righteousness  and  holi- 
ness, which  were  acceptable  to  him:  and  how  the  serpent 
er  evil  one  hath  from  the  beginning,  made  it  his  work 
to  deceive,  and  lead  man  from  God  to  sin,  and  to  work 
wickedness,  which  always  brought  the  wrath  and  judg^ 

^  ments  of  God  upon  man. 


A 


FTER  God  had  created  heaven  and  earth,  and 
all  things  in  them,  he  created  man  in  his  own  im- 
age ;  that  is  to  say,  pure,  holy  and  innocent,  giving 
him  power  to  govern  and  rule  the  creation  to  God's 
glory  ;  and  God  said,  *'  it  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone, 
I  will  make  him  an  helpmeet  for  him  ;"  and  he  caused  a 
deep  sleep  to  fall  upon  Adam,  and  he  took  one  of  his 
ribs,  and  closed  up  the  flesh  thereof,  and  of  the  rib 
he  made  woman,  and  brought  her  unto  the  man ;  and 
Adam  said,  "  this  is  now  bone  of  my  bone,  and  flesh  of 
my  flesh,  she  shall  be  called  woman  :"  and  the  Lord  plac- 
ed them  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  there  to  live  in  a  blessed 
state,  gi\'ing  unto  them  a   commandment  of  obedience, 


^  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

which  was,  that  they  were  not  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  knowl 
edge  of  good  and  evil ;  for,  in  the  day  they  did  eat  there- 
of, they  should  die  ;  but,  of  all  the  rest  of  the  trees  of  the 
garden,  they  might  eat,  and  receiving  comfoit  therefrom, 
might  give  the  praise  and  glory  thereof  to  their  Maker, 
to  whom  it  did  belong  :  and  whilst  man  and  woman  stood 
in  this  condition  they  were  happy  and  blessed.  And 
pow  God  beheld  all  that  he  had  made,,  and  behokUall 
was  good  :  for  sin  had  not  as  yet  entered  upon  man. 

But  the  devil,  envying  God's  honor  and  man's  felicity, 
tempted  the  woman  to  sin  by  the  serpent ;  the  woman 
being  beguiled  by  the  serpent,  the  man  was  also  be- 
guiled by  her,  and  broke  the  ordinance  of  God  by  eating 
the  forbidden  fruit :  and  thus,  man  and  woman  lost  the 
dignity  and  excellency  of  their  first  creation,  and  Vv'^ere 
enslaved  by  the  serpent,  who,  by  his  wiles  and  subtilty, 
had  entangled  and  ensnared  them,  and  persuaded  them 
to  believe  him  more  than  God ;  for  God  said,  that,  in 
t}ie  day  they  did  eat  thereof,  they  should  die  ;  but  the 
serpent  said,  they  should  not  surely  die  ;  ''for  God  doth 
know,"  said  he,  "  that  ye  shall  be  as  Gods,  knowing  good 
and  evil  :''  and  thus  was  man,  by  a  lie,  drawn  from  the 
pure  command  of  his  maker. 

N.QW,  after  they  had  sinned,  in  the  cool  of  the  day,  tlie 
Lord  called  unto  Adam,  saying,  ''  Where  art  thou  ?"  and 
Adam,  who  hid  himself,  said,  "  I  heard  thy  voice  in  the 
garden,  and  I  was  afraid,  because  I  was  naked  :"  and  God 
said,  ''  who  told  thee  that  thou  wast  naked  ?  Hast  tliou 
eaten  of  the  tree  whereof  I  commanded  thee  that  thou 
shouldest  not  eat  ?''  and  having  brought  guilt  and  shame 
upon  themselves  by  transgression,  they  began  to  make 
coverings  by  sewing  fig  leaves  to  make  themselves  apnjns, 
pf  which,  it  seems,  they  had  no  need  before  they  had 
transgressed.. 

And,  by  this,  all  men  may  see,  that  it  was  the  ser- 
pent's work  from  the  beginning  (and  indeed,  it  has  been 
^n  all  ages  his  work)  to  beguile  men  and  women  w^ith 
hh  lies  and  subtilties,  and  to  darken  their  eyes  and  pol- 
lute their  understandings  that  he  may  keep  them  in  sub- 
jection to  himself;  and  from  hence  spring  the  wicked 


OF     THE     TRUE    CHURCH.  5 

thoughts  and  actions,  which  all  mankind  are  apt  to  lean 
and  incHnt'  to,  and  have  been,  and  are  readier  to  give  ear 
to  the  voice  of  the  serpent  and  wicked  one,  than  to  the 
voice  of  God  their  maker  :  and  this  has  been  the  fountain 
and  source  from  w^ience  have  come  all  the  disorders, 
miseries,  and  woes,  that  have  happened  unto  mankind 
throughout  the  world,  in  all  ages  ;  they  have  been  feed- 
ing and  deiighthig  themselves  in  eating  the  forbidden 
fruit,  which  their  forefathers  also  delighted  in :  and  all 
nations  upon  the  eardi  are  in  this  state  and  condition  at 
this  day,  led  away  by  the  voice  of  the  serpent  from  the 
purity  and  righteousness  in  which  man  was  first  created, 
except  a  little  remnant,  which  God  hath  gathered  by  his 
light  and  power,    to  be  witnesses  to  his  name. 

And,  the  Lord  having  convicted  Adam  of  his  evil, 
and  pronounced  several  punishments  upon  him,  and  on 
Eve  his  wife  ;  yet,  with  this  promise,  added,  that  the 
seed  of  the  w  oman  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head  :  and 
man  being  put  out  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  and  a  fiery  flam- 
ing sword  being  set  to  keep  the  way,  leading  to  the  tree 
of  life  ;  man  was  in  an  undone  condition,  had  not  the  Lord 
coiidescended  in  his  tender  love  and  mercy  to  restore  him, 
and  make  that  promise  to  him  ;  and  this  was  the  Lord's 
great  love,  to  open  a  door  of  hope  to  lost  man,  that  he 
Fiiight  not  be  destroyed  by  Satan's  power  ;  and  now  the 
power  of  God,  by  which  man  was  first  created,  appeared 
again  to  restore  him. 

After  the  fall  of  Adam,  Cain  was  the  first  man  that 
was  born  of  a  woman  ;  and  after  Cain,  his  brother  Abel 
was  born  ;  and  in  process  of  time,  these  two  oflTered  ofier- 
ings  unto  the  Lord,  being,  doubtless,  instructed  in  right- 
eousness by  their  father  Adam  after  his  restoration  ;  but 
Cain's  sacrifice,  being  only  outward  in  show,  and  noth- 
ing inward  in  the  spirit,  wherein  doth  consist  the  true 
worship  of  God,  the  Lord  accepted  not  his  offering  ;  but 
unto  Abel  and  his  offering,  which  was  from  the  upright- 
ness and  sincerity  of  his  heart,  the  Lord  had  respect. 
At  this,  Cain  was  wrath,  and  being  inflamed  with  anger, 
rose  up  against  his  brother  Abel,  and,  in  his  envy,  slew 
him  ;  here  was  the  beginning  of  persecution,  and  that  up- 


6  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

on  a  righteous  person  for  serving  God  in  a  pure  mind  ; 
and  here  the  envy  of  the  wicked  one  appeared  again,  to 
ex;ir;guish,  if  he  could,  the  righteous  seed  :  but  the  Lord 
shewed  regard  again  to  mankind,  and  in  his  tender  love 
repaired  this  loss ;  for  Abel  being  slain,  Adam's  wife 
bore  another  son,  whose  name  was  Seth  ;  for  God,  said 
she,  hath  appointed  me  another  seed,  instead  of  Abel, 
whom  Cain  slew  ;  and  this  Seth  proved  a  godly  man.  ^d 
had  a  son  called  Enos.  who  kept  up  the  holy  seed  and  true 
religion,  as  it  is  recorded  of  him  ;  and  in  his  days,  men 
did  begin  to  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Now  Enos 
signifies  the  lamentable  condition  of  all  mankind  ;  for  even 
then,  as  some  men  write,  was  the  worship  of  God  wretch- 
edly corrupted,  by  the  race  of  Cain  :  whence  it  came 
that  men  were  even  so  distinguished,  that  they  who  per- 
sisted in  the  true  worship  of  God,  were  known  by  the 
name  of  the  children  of  God,  and  they  who  forsook  him 
were  termed  the  children  of  men. 

The  next  of  the  righteous  stock  was  Jared,  to  whom 
was  born  Enoch,  another  of  the  righteous  seed,  whose  life 
and  conversation  were  so  innocent,  that  it  is  recorded  of 
him,  he  walked  with  God. 

And  thus,  the  reader  may  see  how  the  righteous  plants 
were  such,  as  took  the  Lord  to  be  their  guide  in  their 
actions  and  undertakings,  and  were  as  patterns  of  right- 
eousness in  the  midst  of  a  per\  erse  generation,  and  it  is 
the  same  with  all  the  fciithful  and  upright  at  this  day  :  and 
now  Enoch  having  this  testimony,  that  he  pleased  God, 
the  Lord,  as  a  requital  of  his  feithfulness,  translated  him, 
so  that  he  saw  no  death  and  took  him  to  himself. 

And  it  cauie  to  pass,  when  men  began  to  multiply  on 
the  face  of  the  earth,  and  daughters  were  born  unto  them, 
these  sons  of  God  saw  the  daughters  of  men,  that  they 
were  fair,  and  they  took  them  wives  of  all  that  they 
chose  ;  this  displeased  the  Lord,  so  tliat  he  said,  my 
spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man,  for  that  he  also 
is  flesh  ;  and  his  da}-s  v.  ere  shortened  to  one  hundred  and 
tv»^enty  years,  wliO  before  lived  many  hundred  years. 

And  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great 
in  the  earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts 


OF   THE    TRUE    CHURCH.  "t 

of  his  heart  was  only  evil  continually  :  and  it  repented  the 
Lord  that  he  had  made  man,  and  it  grieved  him  at  Ins 
heart ;  and  the  earth  was  corrupt,  and  filled  with  vio- 
lence, and  God  looked  upon  the  earth,  and  behold  it  was 
corrupt,  for  all  flesh  had  corrupted  his  way  upon  the  earth. 

And  God  said  unto  Noah,  ''  the  end  of  ail  flesh  is  come 
before  me ;  for  the  earth  is  filled  with  violence  through 
th0n;  and  behold  I  will  destroy  them  with  the  earth;"  and 
he  commanded  Noah  to  make  an  ark,  and  behold,  I  bring 
a  flood  upon  the  earth  to  destroy  all  flesh,  wherein  is  the 
breath  of  life,  and  every  thing  that  is  in  the  earth  shall 
die ;  but  with  thee  will  I  establish  my  covenant,  and  thou 
shalt  come  into  the  Ark.  thou  and  thy  sons,  and  thy  wife, 
and  thy  sons'  wives  ;  for  thee  have  I  seen  righteous  be- 
fore me  in  this  generation. 

But  before  the  Lord  brought  the  deluge  of  waters  up- 
on the  world  of  the  wicked,  he  sent  this  jus:  man  Noah, 
a  preacher  of  righteousness  unto  them,  giving  them  one 
hundred  and  twenty  years'  space  to  repent  them  of  tlieir 
evil  ways  ;  and  Noah  having  provided  an  ark  at  the  com- 
mandment of  God,  was  directed  when  he  should  enter  m- 
to  the  ark,  whilst  the  world  in  the  mean  time  void  of 
all  fear,  sat  eating  and  drinking,  and  mirrying  and  givi  ig 
in  marriage.  In  the  six  hundredth  year  of  the  lile  of  No- 
al},  upon  the  seventh  day  of  the  second  month  Vv'hen  he 
and  his  children  were  entered  into  the  ark,  God  sent  u 
rain  upon  the  earth  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  and  Jac 
Waters  continued  upon  the  earth  a  hundred  and  fifty  days; 
the  waters  abating  upon  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  seventh 
month,  the  ark  rested  upon  one  of  the  mountains  of  Ara- 
rat ;  the  waters  still  abating,  upon  the  first  day  of  the 
tenth  month,  the  tops  of  the  mountains  appeared  above 
the  waters ;  and  after  forty  days,  Noah  opened  the  window 
of  the  ark,  and  sent  forth  a  Raven  ;  and  seven  days  after, 
sent  forth  a  dove  ;  and  she  returning  afier  seven  d.-ys 
.more,  he  sent  her  fordi  again,  and  about  the  evening,  she 
returned,  bringing  the  leaf  of  an  olive  tree  in  her  mouth  ; 
and  then  staying  yet  seven  days  more  he  sent  the  same 
dove  tut  again,  which  returfled  no  more  unio  him. 


6  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

In  the  six  hundredth  and  first  year  of  the  life  of  Noah, 
when  the  surface  of  the  earth  was  all  dry,  Noah  took  oft" 
the  covering  of  the  ark  ;  and,  all  that  were  with  him  in 
the  ark  being  gone  forth,  he  oftered  unto  God  for  his 
preservation  an  oftering  ;  "  r.nd  the  Lord  smelled  a  sweet 
savour ;  and  the  Lord  said  in  his  heart,  I  w4U  not  again 
curse  the  ground  any  more  for  man's  sake  ;  for  the  ima- 
gination of  man's  heart  is  evil  from  his  youth  :"  and  %od 
spake  unto  Noah  and  to  his  sons,  saying,  ''  I  establish  my 
covenant  with  you,  and  with  your  seed  after  you,  neither 
shall  all  flesh  be  cut  off  any  more,  by  the  waters  of  a  flood 
to  destroy  the  earth  ;"  and  gave  the  rain  bow  for  a  sign  oi 
the  covenant  which  he  then  made  with  man. 

And  Noah  made  a  division  of  land  among  his  grand- 
children, and  they  w^ent  from  those  eastern  parts,  whither 
they  first  repaired  from  the  Mountains  of  Ararat,  unto  the 
valley  of  Shinar,  where  they  took  in  hand  to  biiild  the 
city  and  tower  of  Babylon,  whose  top  might  reach  to 
Heaven ;  lest  they  should  be  scattered  abroad  upon  the 
face  of  the  earth  ;  w^hich  purpose  of  theirs  being  frustrat- 
ed by  the  confusion  of  languages  sent  among  them,  from 
whence  they  took  the  name  of  Babel,  the  dispersion  of 
nations  followed,  and  one  language  was  lost,  which  the 
"whole  earth  was  of  until  this  attempt.. 

The  next  of  the  righteous  stock  that  succeeded  was 
Abram,  the  second  son  of  Terah:  he  was  born  in  the  year 
2008.  And  ten  years  after  was  Sarai,  who  was  afterwards 
Abraham's  wife,  born,  daughter  of  Haran,  Abram's  broth- 
er. Some  writers  relate,  that  Abram  was  educated  in 
the  idolatry  of  his  father's  house,  who,  they  say,  was 
a  maker  of  statues  and  images  :  and  the  Jews  relate  of 
Abram's  going  into  the  shop  in  the  absence  of  his  father, 
of  his  breaking  the  images,  and  jeering  those  that  came 
to  buy,  or  Vv^orship  them  ;  of  his  Other's  carrying  him  to 
Nimrod  to  be  punished  ;  his  witty  answers  and  miracu- 
lous escapes  :  thus,  the  Jews  write  of  him  :  but  however 
these  things  may  be  credited,  we  have  a  sure  record  in 
the  scriptures,  that  the  Lord  had  a  great  regard  to  the 
sincerity  of  Abram,  and  liad  a  purpose  to  make  use  of 
him  to  be  an  instrument  in  his  work  and  service  ;  and 


O-^  THE   TRUE   CHITRCH,  V 

tliat  appears  by  his  calling  him  from  his  kindred,  and 
from  his  father's  house,  and  promising  a  blessing  to 
him  and  his  seed  ;  and  now  Abram,  who  had  chosen  the 
Lord  for  his  delight  above  all  earthly  things,  consulted 
not,  but  departed  as  the  Lord  had  commanded  him ;  and 
he  took  Sarai  his  wife,  and  Lot  his  brother's  son,  and 
travelled  to  the  land  of  Canaaii,  where  God  promised  to 
Al^am,  that  to  his  seed  he  would  give  that  land ;  but 
afterwards  Abram,  compelled  by  a  famine,  went  from 
thence  do\vn  into  Egypt,  where  Sarai  his  wife,  to 
escape  a  danger,  went  for  his  sister,  and  was  taken  into 
Pharaoh's  house,  being  fair  and  beautiful,  but  w\^s  not 
long  after  sent  back  unto  him  untouched.  Then  Abram, 
accompanied  by  just  Lot,  returned  into  Canaan,  where., 
when  the  countiy  which  they  pitched  upon  was  not  suf- 
ficient, to  feed  both  their  herds  of  cattle,  strife  arose  be- 
tween the  herdsmen  ;  and  Abram  loving  peace,  said  to 
Lot,  *'let  there  be  no  strife,  Lpray  thee,  between  me  and 
thee  and  between  my  herdsmen  and  thine,  for  we  be  breth- 
ren;" and  they  parted  ;  and  Lot  went  into  the  country  oi 
Sodom  ;  and  after  they  were  parted,  the  promise  both  of 
the  possession  of  that  land  of  Canaan,  and  also  of  his 
numberless  posterity,  was  again  renewed  unto  him. 

Abram  being  now  ninety  nine  years  old,  God  made 
a  covenant  w^ith  him,  touching  the  seed  of  Isaac,  (who 
was  to  be  born  of  Sarai  that  time  twelve  month)  and  gave 
him  the  seal  of  circumcision,  changing  both  their  names; 
Abram  into  Abraham,  and  Sarai  into  Sarah,  for  a  sure 
pledge  and  testimony  of  his  promise. 

When  Abraham  was  an  hundred,  and  Sarah  ninety 
years  of  age,  Isaac  was  born  unto  them,  and  Abraham 
instructed  his  family  in  righteousness  ;  for  God  said, 
I  know  Abraham,  that  he  will  command  his  children, 
and  his  household  after  him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way 
of  the  Lord  to  do  justice  and  judgment. 

By  faith,  Abraham  offered  up  his  son  Isaac  ;  consider- 
ing with  himself,  that  God  was  able  to  raise  him  again 
from  the  dead.  Joscphus  reports,  that  at  this  time  Isaac 
v/as  twenty  five  years  old,  and  that  he  was  at  that  time 
well  grov.n  may  be  gathered  from  this,  that  he  was  able 


10  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

to  carry  so  much  wood  as  was  to  go  to  the  burning  and 
consummg  of  such  a  whole  burnt-offermg  as  himself  was, 
then  intended  by  Abraham  to  have  been  made  Sarah  be- 
ing now  one  hundred  and  twenty  seven  years  of  age,  died 
in  Hebron  ;  and  as  Abraham,  for  his  integrity  and  up- 
rightness to  the  Lord,  is  recorded  to  posterity  for  the  fa- 
ther  of  the  faithful;  so  is  Sarah  for  the  mother  of  the  faith- 
ful ;  and  she  is  the  only  woman  whose  full  and  entire  stgc^ 
is  mentioned  in  scripture. 

Abraham  being  also  advanced  in  age  was  careful  to 
get  a  wife  for  his  son  Isaac  ;  and  he  was  likewise  careful 
that  he  might  not  marry  with  any  of  the  idolatrous  and 
corrupt  nations,  it  being  looked  upon  as  a  great  evil  by 
this  righteous  stock,  that  their  sons  should  marry  with 
the  daughters  of  men  that  were  corrupted,  and  des- 
pisers  of  the  true  religion,  as  it  appears  by  Abraham's 
care  for  his  son,  that  he  should  not  take  a  wife  of  the 
daughters  of  the  Canaanites  among  whom  he  dwelt  ;  and 
also  by  the  strict  charge  he  gave  to  his  servant  to  look 
out  a  wife  for  him,  who  going  by  the  guidance  of  God  into 
Mesopotamia,  where  praying  to  the  Lord  to  shew  kindness 
unto  his  master  Abraham,  he  there  obtained  for  him  Re- 
bekah,  the  daughter  of  Bethuel,  sister  to  Laban  the  Syri- 
an, whom  Isaac  receiving  for  his  wife,  brought  into 
the  tent  of  his  mother  Sarah  ;  and  he  loved  her,  and  had 
"Comfort  in  her  after  his  mother's  death ;  and  he  was  forty 
years  old  when  he  married  with  Rebekah. 

Abraham,  when  he  was  an  hundred  and  seventy-five 
years  old,  and  an  hundred  years  after  his  coming  into 
fcanaan,  departed  this  life,  and  was  buried  by  his  two  sons 
in  his  cave  at  Machpelah,  with  Sarah  his  wife.  He  lived 
fifteen  years  after  the  birth  of  Jacob,  with  whom  he  is 
said  also  to  have  lived  in  tents. 

And  Abraham  being  dead,  Isaac  was  raised  up,  as  the 
next  of  the  righteous  line  and  seed  of  God,  to  whom  the 
Lord  often  appeared  in  his  divine  power,  confirming  the 
covenant  he  had  made  with  Abraham  his  father  ;  for  he 
walked  in  the  steps  of  his  father  in  faithfulness  to  the 
Lord,  and  when  his  father's  servant  brought  Rebekah  to 
bim,  they  found  him  meditating  in  the  field  at  evening- 


t>F   THE    TRUE  CHURCH.  11 

tide,  by  which  it  appears,  his  mind  was  delighted  in  that 
which  was  good.  When  his  wife  had  continued  barren 
nineteen  years  after  her  marriage,  Isaac  entreated  the 
Lord  for  her,  because  she  was  barren,  and  the  Lord  was 
entreated  of  him,  and  his  wife  conceived,  and  when  the 
twins  strove  in  her  womb,  Rebekah  asked  counsel  of 
God  ;  and  the  Lord  said  unto  her,  ''  two  nations  are  in 
thy  womb,  and  two  manner  of  people  shall  be  separated 
from  thy  bowels  ;  and  the  one  people  shall  be  stronger 
than  the  other,  and  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger." 
Being  born,  the  children  grew,  and  one  of  them,  named 
Esau,  was  a  cunning  hunter,  a  man  of  the  field  ;  and  Ja* 
cob  was  a  plain  man,  dwelling  in  tents  :  and  Isaac  loved 
Esau,  because  he  did  eat  of  his  venison,  but  Rebekah  lov- 
ed Jacob. 

Isaac  being  grown  old  and  blind,  in  the  forty  fourth 
year  before  his  death,  sent  Esau  his  eldest  son  to  take 
some  venison  for  him,  purposing  to  bless  him  at  his  re- 
turn ;  but  Jacob,  the  younger  son,  by  the  counsel  of  his 
mother,  coming  disguised  in  his  cloaths,  and  with  sa- 
voury meat  in  his  hand,  stole  away  the  blessing  unwit- 
tingly to  his  father ;  and  the  blessing  though  so  got,  God 
confirmed  ever  after ;  but  Jacob  seeing  that  for  so  doing, 
his  brother  followed  him  with  a  deadly  hatred,  and  being 
desirous  to  >  avoid  his  snares,  and  willing  to  take  a  wife 
of  his  own  kindred,  his  father  blessing  him,  he  took  his 
journey  into  Mesopotamia,  to  his  uncle  Laban  ;  for  his 
father  had  charged  him  not  to  take  a  wife  of  the  daugh- 
ters of  Canaan  ;  and  in  his  journey  the  Lord  appeared 
unto  him  by  his  presence,  and  renewed  the  covenant  to 
him,  which  he  had  made  before  to  his  father  and  grand- 
father ;  and  the  Lord  manifesting  his  presence  unto 
him,  he  covenanted  with  the  Lord,  saying,  "  if  God  will 
be  with  me,  and  keep  me  in  this  way  that  I  go,  and  will 
give  me  bread  to  eat,  and  raiment  to  put  on,  so  that  I 
come  again  to  my  fathers  house  in  peace,  then  shall  the 
Lord  be  my  God';''  and  coming  at  len,^th  to  Charron,  and 
continuing  a  time  with  Laban,  he  fell  in  love  with  Rachel 
his  daughter,  for  whom  he  served  seven  years,  and  they 
seemed  to  him  but  a  few  days,  for  the  love  he  had  to  her. 


f2  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

Esau  had  now  been  married  thirty  seven  years,  and 
was  seventy  seven  years  old,  whereas  Jacob  had  all  this 
while  lived  unmarried:  but  being  now  mindful  of  his  fa- 
ther's command,  he  demanded  Rachel  his  wife  to  be  giv- 
en to  him,  using  this  for  a  reason,  that  his  days  were 
now  full  ;  but  by  the  fraud  of  Laban,  instead  of  Rachel, 
Leah  the  elder  daughter  was  put  in  bed  unto  him  ;  nev- 
ertheless Rachel  also  was  afterwards  espoused  to  him, 
upon  covenant  of  serving  seven  years  more  for  her. 

At  first,  Rachel  was  barren  but  afterwards,  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  proving  fruitful,  bore  Joseph  unto  Jacob.  At 
the  end  of  the  fourteen  years  service,  Jacob  asking  leave  of 
Laban  to  return  into  his  own  country,  was  held  there  sfx 
years  more,  upon  another  bargain  made  between  him  and 
his  father-in-law  Laban,  for  a  certain  part  of  his  flock. 

Jacob  perceiving  the  heart-burning  of  Laban,  and  his 
son's  malice  towards  him,  was  warned  of  God  to  return 
into  his  own  country,  which  having  communicated  to  his 
"wives,  whilst  Laban  was  shearing  his  sheep  at  the  latter 
end  of  spring,  after  his  twenty  years  service,  went  away 
unknown  to  Laban,  with  all  his  substance,  wives  and  fam- 
ily, and  passed  over  the  river  Euphrates.  Laban,  three  days 
after,  hearing  that  his  son-in-law  was  gone,  took  some  of 
his  friends  and  kindred  along  with  him,  and  pursued  after 
him  seven  days  journey  and  at  last  overtook  him  at  Mount 
Gilead,  which  took  its  name  from  their  meeting  there;  for, 
after  many  and.  diverse  expostulations  which  passed  be- 
tween them,  making  all  fair  at  last,  for  a  testimony  and  mon^ 
ument  of  their  covenant  there  made,  Jacob  erected  a  pillar 
with  a  heap  of  stones,  which  Lrban  the  Syrian  called, 
Jegar-Saliadutha,  but  Jacob  the  Hebrew  called,  Gilead, 
that  is,  the  heap  of  testimony  or  witness  between  them, 
Jacob  being  sent  away  in  peace  by  Laban,  but  affrighted 
with  the  news  of  his  brother  Esau's  approach  with  four 
hundred  men,  divided  his  company  into  two,  saying,  ''  if 
he  smite  one,  then  the  other  company  which  is  left  shall 
escape  ;"  and  called  upon  God,  saying,  "  O  God  of  my 
father  Abraham,  Isaac,  &c.  which  saidst  unto  me  return 
into  thy  country,  and  to  thy  kindred,  and  I  will  deal  well 
vih.^l\  thee,  deli'/er  me,  I  pray  thee,  from  the  hand  of  nty 


OF   THE    TRUE   CHURCH.  IS 

brother  Esau"  Esau  having  entertained  his  brother 
courtcoubly,  after  much  entreaty,  accepted  of  his  pre- 
sents. Jacob  then  went  on  to  Succoth,  and  there  he 
built  him  an  house,  and  afterwards  passing  over  Jordan, 
he  came  into  Canaan,  and  pitched  his  tent  in  Salem,  and 
there  he  buiit  an  ahar,  which  he  called  by  the  name  of 
El- Elohe- Israel,  or,  the  Mighty  God,  the  God  of  Israel, 
to  wit,  in  the  same  place  where  Abraham  had  heretofore 
built   his    first    Altar,  and  where  Jacob's    well  was. 

I  am  now  come  to  write  of  Joseph,  who  being  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  when  his  brethern  saw  that  their  fa- 
ther loved  him  mo?e than  them,  they  hated  him,  and  could 
not  speak  peaceably  to  him  ;  and  Joseph  declaring  his 
dream  to  them,  the  Lord  having  shewed  him  that  he 
should  be  set  above  his  brethern,  and  be  the  chief  of  his 
father's  family,  they  hated  him  yet  the  more  ;  and  first 
they  conspired  his  death,  and  at  length  agreed,  to  sell  him 
away  for  a  bond- slave  into  a  far  country  ;  so  drawing 
Iiim  out  of  the  pit,  whereinto  they  had  cast  him,  they  sold 
him  to  the  merchants  for  twenty  pieces  of  silver,  and  he 
was  by  them  carried  into  Egypt,  and  there  sold  for  a 
slave  to  Potiphar,  a  captain  of  guard  to  Pharaoh,  where 
he  was  tempted  by  Potiphar's  wife  to  uncleanness  ;  and, 
because  he  refused  to  do  such  evil,  she  by  her  lies,  insti- 
gated Potiphar  her  husband  against  him,  who  put  him  in 
prison ;  but  the  Lord  was  with  Joseph,  and  shewed  him 
mercy,  and  gave  him  favour  in  the  sight  of  the  keeper 
of  the  prison,  and  that  which  he  did  the  Lord  made  to 
prosper. 

Two  of  the  oificers  of  Pharaoh's  court,  being  imprison- 
ed in  the  same  prison  with  Joseph,  having  both  of  them 
dreamed,  Joseph  interpreted  their  dreams  unto  them, 
which  came  to  pass  according  to  his  interpretation  ;  and 
Joesph  said  to  one  of  them,  *'  When  thou  art  restor- 
ed into  thy  place,  after  thy  former  manner,  think  on  me 
w^hen  it  shall  be  well  with  thee,  and  shew  kindness,  I 
pray  thee,  unto  me,  and  make  mention  of  me  unto  Pha- 
raoh, and  bring  me  out  of  this  house  ;  for  indeed  I  was 
stolen  awav  out  of  the   Land  of  the  Hebrews,  and  here 


14  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

also  have  I  done  nothing,  that  they  should  put  me  into 
the  dungeon  :"  but  when  this  officer  wasrestored  again 
into  Pharaoh's  court  he  remembered  not  Joseph. 

Two  years  after,  Pharaoh  dreamed  t»vo  dreams,  who 
seeing  he  could  not  get  them  expounded  by  his  own  wise 
amen,  but  hearing  of  Joseph's  expertness  to  interpret 
dreams,  sent  for  him,  being  then  thirty  years  old,  who 
opened  to  the  king  his  dreams  :  first,  that  of  the  seven 
years  of  plenty  ;  then  the  Lcven  years  of  famine  :  he  add- 
ed moreover,  as  his  counsel  and  advice,  how  to  provide 
out  of  the  store  of  the  first  years  of  plenty,  against  the 
famine  of  the  other  seven  years  of  scarcity,  which  were 
to  follow;  whereupon,  by  the  general  consent  of  his  no- 
l^les,  he  made  him  governor  of  the  kingdom. 

From  the  harvest  of  this  year,  were  counted  seven 
3^ears  of  plenty,  wherein  Joseph  laid  up  an  infinite  treas- 
ure of  corn. 

The  seven  years  of  the  famine  began  from  the  harvest 
of  this  year,  wherein  the  forecast  and  wisdom  of  Joseph 
did  not  only  sustain  Egypt,  but  Avere  a  help  and  relief  to 
other  countries. 

Jacob  dispatched  ten  of  his  sons  into  Egypt  to  buy 
corn,  whom  Joseph  seeming  not  to  know,  caused  to  be 
taken  for  spies ;  and-  being  laid  hold  on,  he  spake 
roughly  unto  them,  and  said,  whence  came  ye  ?  and 
they  said,  from  the  land  of  Canaan  to  buy  food  :  and 
Joseph  knew  his  brethren,  but  they  knew  not  him  ;  and 
he  said  they  were  come  as  spies  to  see  the  nakedness  of  the 
land  :  they  said,  they  were  true  men,  and  thy  servants 
are  twelve  brethren,  the  sons  of  one  man  in  the  land  of 
Canaan  ;  and  behold,  the  youngest  is  this  day  with  our 
father,  and  one  is  not ;  and  Joseph  said,  "  ye  are  spies  : 
hereby  it  shall  be  proved  ;  if  ye  be  true  men,  let  one  of 
your  brethren  be  bound  in  prison  :  go  ye,  carry  corn  for 
the  famine  of  your  houses ;  but  bring  your  youngest 
brother  unto  me,  so  shall  your  words  be  verified,  and 
you  shall  not  die,"  and  they  did  so  :  and  they  said  one 
to  the  other,  **  we  are  verily  guilty  concerning  our  broth- 
er, in  that  we  saw  the  anguish  of  his  soul,  when  he  be- 
sought us,  and  w^e  would  not  hear,  therefore  is  this  dis- 


OF    THE     TRUE   CHURCH.  15 

tress  come  upon  us  :"  and  Reuben  answered  theniv  say- 
ing, "  spake  not  I  unto  you,  saying,  do  not  hin  against 
the  child,  and  ye  would  not  hear,  therefore,  behold  his 
blood  is  required  ;"  and  they  knew  not  that  Joseph  un- 
derstood them,  for  he  spake  unto  them  by  an  interpre- 
ter ;  and  he  turned  himself  about  from  them,  and  wept, 
and  returned  to  them  again,  and  communed  with  them, 
and  took  from  them  Simeon  the  chiefest  of  them,  who 
consented  to  sell  him,  and  cast  him  into  prison  ;  and  be- 
ing dismissed,  they  carried  away  their  corn,  and  with  it 
the  money  that  they  had  paid  for  it,  being  conveyed  in- 
to their  sacks  by  the  secret  appointment  of  Joseph.  They 
told  their  father  Jacob  all  that  happened  unto  them,  and 
withal  declared  unto  him  the  necessity  that  laid  upon 
them  of  carrying  their  younger  brother  Benjamin  into 
Egypt,  persuading  him  by  all  means  to  let  him  go  ;  but 
Jacob  their  father  said  unto  them,  "  me  have  ye  bereav- 
ed of  my  children ;  Joseph  is  not,  and  Simeon  is  not, 
and  you  will  take  away  Benjamin  :  all  these  things  are 
against  me  ;"  but  Jacob,  pressed  with  famine  sent  again 
his  sons,  and  with  them  his  son  Benjamin,  furnished  with 
double  money,  and  other  presents  to  Joseph,  to  buy  more 
corn  ;  and  they,  at  their  return,  were  courteously  enter- 
tained ;  for  when  Joseph  saw  Benjamin  with  them,  he 
said  to  the  ruler  of  his  house,  ''  bring  these  men  home, 
and  slay  and  make  ready,  for  these  men  shall  dine  with 
me  at  noon."  And  the  man  did  as  Joseph  bade,  and 
brought  the  men  into  Joseph's  house,  and  the  men  were 
afraid,  because  they  were  brought  into  Joseph's  house  : 
and  they  said,  "  because  of  the  money  that  was  return- 
ed in  our  sacks  the  first  time,  are  we  brought  in,  that  he 
may  seek  occasion  against  us  :"  but  the  steward  comfort- 
ed them,  saying,  "  peace  be  unto  you,  fear  not ;  your 
God  and  the  God  of  your  fathers  hath  given  you  treasure 
in  your  sacks,  I  had  your  money  ;"  and  he  brought  Si- 
meon out  unto  them. 

And  Joseph  asked  them  of  their  welfare,  saying,"  Is 
your  father  well,  the  old  man  of  whom  you  spake,  is  he 
yet  alive  ?  And  they  answered,  **  Thy  servant  our  fa- 
ther is  in  gogd  health  ;  he  is  yet  alive,"  v/hen  he  saw  his 


16  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

brother  Benjamin,  his  mother's  son,  he  made  haste,  fof 
his  bowels  did  yearn  upon  his  brother,  and  he  sought 
where  to  weep,  and  he  entered  into  his  chamber,  and 
wept  there  :  and  after  they  had  eaten,  he  commanded  the 
steward  of  his  house  to  fill  their  sacks  with  food,  and  to 
put  a  silver  cup  in  the  sack's  mouth  of  the  youngest  ; 
and  when  they  wore  gone,  Joseph  sent  after  them,  and 
caused  them  to  be  stoptfor  taking  away  his  cup,  which 
crime  they  endeavoured  to  put  of,  by  shewing  how  truly 
they  meant,  by  bringing  again  the  money  which  they 
found  in  their  sacks  when  they  cam.e  home ;  offering 
themselves  to  die,  or  to  be  his  bond- slaves,  if  any  such 
thing  could  be  proved  against  them  ;  but  in  the  end, 
the  cup  being  found  with  Benjamin,  and  they  brought 
back  to  Joseph,  they  all  yielded  themselves  to  him,  for 
his  bond-slaves,  which  he  refused,  saying,  he  would  have 
none  but  him  with  whom  the  cup  was  found.  Judah  then 
humbly  offered  himself  to  serve  him  in  Benjamin's  stead, 
saying,  "  when  I  come  to  thy  servant  my  father,  and  the 
lad  be  not  with  us,  seeing  that  his  life  is  bound  up  in  the 
lad's  life  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  when  he  seeth  that  the 
lad  is  not  with  us,  that  he  will  die,  and  thy  servants  shall 
bring  down  the  grey  hairs  of  thy  servant  our  father  w^ith 
sorrow  to  the  grave  :  "  Then  Joseph  could  not  refrain 
himself  before  all  them  that  stood  by  him  :  and  cried, 
cause  every  man  to  go  out  from  me,  and  there  stood  no 
man  with  them,  while  Joseph  made  himself  known  unto 
his  brethren ;  and  wept  aloud,  and  the  Egyptians  and 
the  house  of  Pharaoh  heard  ;  and  Joseph  said  unto  his 
brethren,  I  am  Joseph,  doth  my  father  yet  live  ?  And  his 
brethren  could  not  answer  him,  for  they  were  troubled  at 
his  presence  ;  and  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren,  "  come 
near  to  me,  I  pray  you,'\  and  they  came  near,  and  he 
said,  *'  lam  Joseph  your  brother,  whom  ye  sold  into  E- 
gypt ;"  and  seeing  them  troubled,  he  comforted  them, 
by  shewing  how  that  act  of  theirs  was  by  the  providence 
of  God. 

And  he  said  unto  them,  haste  ye  and  go  up  to  my  fa- 
ther, and  say  unto  him,  *'  thus  saith  thy  son  Joseph  ;  God 
hath  made  me  Lord  of  all  Egypt  :  come  down  unto  me  ; 


or   THE   TRUE   CHURCrr.  it 

farry  not,  and  thou  shalt  dwell  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  and 
ihou  shalt  be  near  unto  me,  thou  and  thy  children,  and 
thy  children's  children,  and  thy  flocks  and  thy  herds,  and 
all  that  thou  hast,  and  there  will  I  nourish  thee  ;  for  there 
are  yet  five  years  of  famine  :"  and  he  fell  upon  his  brother 
Benjamin's  neck,  and  wept,  and  Benjamin  wept  upon  his 
neck  ;  moreover  he  kissed  all  his  brethren,  and  wept  upon 
tliem  ;  so  he  sent  his  brethren  away,  and  they  told  Jacob 
all  the  words  of  Joseph,  and  when  he  saw  the  waggons 
which  Joseph  had  sent  to  carry  him,  the  spirit  of  Jacob 
their  father  revived  ;  and  Israel  said,  *'  It  is  enough, 
Joseph  my  son  is  yet  alive  ;  I  will  go  and  see  him  before 
I  die  ;"  and  God  spake  unto  Israel  saying,  "  I  am  God, 
the  God  of  thy  flither  :  fear  not  to  go  down  into  Eg}'pt, 
for  I  will  there  make  of  thee  a  great  nation ;  I  will  go 
down  v/ith  thee  into  Egypt,  and  I  will  surely  bring  thee 
up  again  ;"  and  Jacob  was  an  hundred  and  thirty  years 
old  when  he  went  down  into  Egypt. 

Joseph  letting  Pharaoh  know  of  the  arrival  of  his  kin- 
dred in  Egypt,  brought  his  father  and  five  of  his  breth- 
ren into  his  presence,  and  having  communed  with  him, 
assigned  them  a  place  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  where 
they  w^ere  provided  with  all  necessaries  by  Joseph. 

The  book  of  Genesis  ends  with  the  death  of  Joseph, 
containing  the  history  of  two  thousand  three  hundred  and 
sixty  nine  years  space  ;  which  book  was  written  b}  Mo- 
ses himself,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Talmudists,  in  their 
Baba-Bathra,  Lib.  1. 

At  this  time,  lived  Job,  a  man  of  whom  it  is  recorded, 
that  he  was  a  man  of  a  perfect  and  upright  heart,  and  one 
that  feared  God  and  shunned  evil,  and  embraced  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God  J  and  all  righteousness;  rich 
in  substance,  and  the  more  noted,  as  neither  the  enjoy- 
ment of  riches  corrupted,  nor  the  loss  of  them  depraved 
him  in  his  v/ay  ;  for,  being  first  spoiled  of  his  goods  by 
satan  ;  also  bereft  of  his  children  ;  and  at  last  tormented 
with  sore  biles,  from  the  sole  of  his  foot  to  his  crown, 
nevertheless  he  could  yet  never  be  drawn  through  impa- 
tience to  sin  in  any  sort  ;  whereof,  having  first  received 
0.  testimony  from  God's  own  mouth,  he  was  afterwards  r^ 


i 


18  A    LIVING     TESTIMONY 

stored  to  his  former  health,   and  had  cast  into  his  bosom 
double  of  ^vhatever  he  possessed  before. 

And  when  Joseph  and  all  his  brediren,  and  that  genera-- 
tion  were  dead,  and  the  children  of  Israel  were  fruitful,  and 
increased  abundantly,  and  multiplied,  and  waxed  exceed- 
ingly mighty,  and  the  land  was  filled  with  them,  there 
arose  up  a  new  king  over  Egypt,  who  knew  not  Joseph, 
and  he  began  to  afflict  them,  but  the  more  they  were  af- 
flicted, the  more  they  multiplied  and  grew  :  and  the  E- 
gyptians  made  the  children  of  Israel  to  serve  with  rigor, 
and  they  made  their  lives  bitter  with  hard  bondage,  and 
kept  them  under  with  great  severity. 

Aaron  was  born  three  years  before  his  brother  Moses^ 
and  eighty  three  years  before  the  departure  of  the  children 
of  Israel  out  of  Egypt. 

The  ungodly  king  of  Egypt,  when  he  could  not  pre- 
vail with  the  mid  wives  of  the  Hebrew  women  privily  to 
destroy  the  male  children  of  them,  made  a  barbarous  edict 
to  destroy  them  all,  by  drowning  them  in  the  river. 

About  this  time,  Moses  the  son  of  Amram,  of  the 
house  of  Levi,  was  born,  and  when  his  mother  saw  that  he 
was  a  goodly  child,  being  willing  to  preserve  him,  she 
hid  him  three  months,  and  wiien  she  could  no  longer  hide 
him,  she  took  for  him  an  ark  of  bulrushes,  and  daubed  it 
with  slime,  and  with  pitch,  and  put  the  child  therein,  and 
she  laid  it  in  the  flags  by  the  river's  brink,  his  sister 
standing  afar  off*  from  the  place,  to  see  what  would  be- 
come of  him ;  and  Pharaoh's  daughter  finding  it  there, 
caused  her  maids  to  fetch  it ;  and  when  she  had  opened 
it,  she  saw  the  child,  and,  behold,  it  wept,  and  she  had  com- 
passion on  him,  and  said  "  this  is  one  of  the  Hebrew  chil- 
dren :"  then  said  his  sister  to  Pharaoh's  daughter,  "  shall 
I  go  and  call  a  nurse  to  thee  of  the  Hebrew  women,  that 
she  may  nurse  the  child  for  thee  ?"  and  Pharaoh's  dauglv 
ter  said,  ''  go;"  and  the  maid  went  and  called  the  child'**, 
mother,  and  she  nursed  him  ;  and  Pharaoh's  daughter 
called  him  Moses,  because  she  drew  him  out  of  the  wa 
ter  ;  and  she  caused  him  to  be  brought  up  as  her.  son, 
ard  caused  him  to  be  instructed  in  the  science  and  learn- 
ing of  the  Egyptians  ;  and  thus  did  the  Lo^  wonderfully 


OF   THE    TRUE   CHURCH.  19 

Jiresen  e  him,  which  noted  no  less  than  that  he  intended 
to  make  him  an  instrument  in  some  great  work,  as  in- 
deed it  so  came  to  pass  ;  for  as  he  grew  in  years,  the 
Lord  put  it  in  his  heart  to  sliglu  the  honors  of  Pharaoh's 
court  ;  for  he  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's 
daughter,  choosing  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  seas>on; 
esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the 
treasures  in  Egypt,  for  he  had  respect  to  the  recompense 
of  reward.  And  now  the  Lord  having  chosen  him  into 
his  work  and  service,  indued  him  with  such  a  spirit  of 
meekness,  that  none  was  like  him  upon  the  earth  ;  and 
being  thus  fitted  he  often  had  trials  and  exercises  of  his 
patience  by  the  people  he  was  to  govern,  who  were  often 
murmuring  and  repining  against  him.  And  the  Lord 
appeared  unto  him,  whilst  he  was  keeping  his  father-in- 
law  Jerthro's  sheep  in  the  mountain  of  Horeb,  and  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  apj)eared  unto  him  in  a  flame  of  fire, 
out  of  the  midst  of  a  bush  ;  and  behold  the  busli  burned 
with  fire,  and  the  bush  was  not  consumed  ;  and  the  Lord 
said  unto  him,  **  I  am  the  God  of  thy  father,  the  God  of 
Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob  ;"  and 
Moses  hid  his  face,  for  he  was  afraid  to  look  upon  God  ; 
tlnd  the  Lord  said,  "  I  have  surely  seen  the  affliction  of 
my  people  which  are  in  Egypt,  and  have  heard  their  cry, 
by  reason  of  their  task- masters  ;  for  I  know  their  sorrow, 
and  am  come  down  to  deliver  them  out  of  the  hands  of 
the  Egyptians  "  And  he  chose  Moses  as  an  instrument 
to  go  unto  Pharaoh,  and  to  bring  the  children  of  Israel 
out  of  Egypt,  to  whom  as  an  assistant  in  his  work,  Aaron 
was  added. 

Moses  and  Aaron  having  declared  unto  Pharaoh  the 
message,  witli  wliich  they  were  sent  unto  him  from  God, 
were  sent  away  with  many  harsh  words  ;  and  many  more 
greivous  oppressions  were  inflicted  upon  the  Israelites 
than  before. 

Moses  being  now  eighty,  and  Aaron  eighty  three  years 
of  age  being  moved  by  the  Lord,  returned  again  to  Pha- 
raoh, where  tlwi  magicians,  imitating  the  miracles  of  Aa- 
^-on's  rod  m«de  Pharaoh    harden  his  heiu-t,   so  that  he 


20  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

would  not  let  the  children  of  Israel  go  ;  werefore,  the 
Lord  sent  diverse  plagues  upon  Pharaoh  before  he 
would  let  the  children  of  Israel  go  ;  and  when  the  last 
plague  was  brought  upon  them,  Pharaoh  and  his  servants 
made  haste  to  send  away  the  Israelites,  with  all  their  sub- 
stance, being  six  hundred  thousand  men,  besides  chil- 
dren ;  and  they  being  departed,  Pharaoh  with  his  host 
pursued  and  overtook  them.  Here  Moses  divided  the 
waters  with  his  rod,  and  with  the  children  of  Israel,  pass- 
ed through  the  sea  ;  but  Pharaoh  and  his  army  following 
were  all  overwhelmed  by  the  waters  coming  together  a- 
gain.  When  the  Israelites  were  thus  freed  from  the 
bondage  of  the  Egyptians,  they  forthwith  sang  a  song  of 
praise  and  thanksgiving  unto  God,  for  their  deliverance, 
which  is  called  the  song  of  Moses. 

After  their  encamping  in  the  desert  of  Sinai,  Moses 
went  up  into  the  mount,  and  the  Lord  said  unto  him, 
*'  thus  shalt  thou  say  to  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  tell  the 
children  of  Israel ;  ye  have  seen  what  I  did  unto  the  E- 
gyptians,  and  how  I  bore  you  on  eagles'  wings,  and 
brought  you  unto  myself;  now,  therefore,  if  }ou  will  o- 
bey  my  voice  indeed,  and  keep  my  covenant,  then  ye 
shall  he  a  peculiar  treasure  unto  me  above  ail  people  ; 
for  ail  the  earth  is  mine,  and  ye  shall  be  unto  me  a  king- 
dom of  priests,  and  an  holy  nation."  And  Moses  told 
|:he  people  v/hat  the  Lord  had  commanded  him  ;  all  the 
people  answered  together,  and  said,  "•'  all  that  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  we  will  do.''  But  the  reader  may  see  how 
ready  and  apt  these  people  were  to  forget  tlie  tender 
dealings  of  the  Lord  towards  them  ;  for  Moses  and  Aa- 
ron, and  several  of  the  elders  of  Israel  went  up  into  the 
mount,  and  there  beheld  the  glory  of  God  ;  and  the  rest 
returning,  Moses  with  his  servant  Joshua,  abode  there 
still,  and  waited  there  six  days,  and  upon  the  seventh 
day,  God  spa^e  unto  him,  and  there  he  continued  forty 
nights,  eating  no  meat  all  that  while,  nor  drinking  water  : 
and  there  he  received  God's  command,  and  the  law  ^vrit* 
ten  in  tables  of  stone,  with  God's  own  finger  ;  God  bid- 
ding him  withnl  to  get  him  down ;  for  tliat  the  people 
fead  already  made  themselves  a  molten  calf  tp  worslijp* 


* 


OF     THE     TRUE     CHURCH.  2i 

Moses,  seeing  this,  brake  the  tables  at  the  foot  of  the 
mount,  and  having  burnt  and  defaced  the  idol,  many  of 
the  people  were  put  to  death  by  the  hands  of  the  Levites. 

The  next  day,  Moses  returned  into  the  mount,  and 
there  again  entreated  the  Lord  for  the  people  ;  and  hav- 
ing drawn  them  into  a  deep  sense  of  the  wrath  of  God,  to 
repent  of  their  sin,  he  by  his  prayer,  obtained,  that  God 
himself  should  be  their  leader  in  their  way. 

God  commanded  Moses  to  frame  new  tables  of  stone  ; 
and  the  next  day,  to  bring  them  with  him  into  the  mount ; 
Moses  staying  again  forty  days  and  forty  nights  in  the 
mount,  without  meat  or  drink,  prayed  tiicre  for  the  peo- 
ple ;  when  God  was  pleased  to  renew  his  covenant  with 
the  people  ;  and  he  gave  his  law  anew,  and  bade  Moses 
commit  it  to  writing  ;  wiio,  after  forty  days,  returned 
from  the  mount  with  the  tables  in  his  hands  ;  and  cover- 
ing his  face  with  a  vail,  because  it  shone,  1^  publisb.ed  the 
laws  of  God  to  the  people,  enjoining  the  observation  of 
them,  and  commanded  a  free-will-offering  to  be  made, 
toward  the  building  of  the  tabernacle,  according  to  God's 
order.  Nadab  and  Abihu,  the  two  eldest  sons  of  Aaron, 
going  whh.  their  father  up  into  the  mount  Sinai,  had 
there  seen  tlie  glory  of  God,  and  having  gone  into  the 
sanctuary  with  strange  or  common  fire,  were  struck  dead 
inihe  place  by  fire  sent  from  heaven,  and  for  them  the 
priests  were  forbidden  to  make  lamentation  :  moreover, 
for  some  particular  men's  neglect  of  duty,  all  the  priests 
were  charged  to  forbear  wine  and  strong  drink,  before 
they  were  to  go  into  the  tabernacle. 

Moses,  finding  the  government  of  the  Israelites  to  be 
weighty,  complained  to  the  Lord  of  the  burden  thereof; 
saying,  ''  I  am  not  able  to  bear  all  this  people  alone,  be- 
cause it  is  too  heavy  for  me  ;"  and  to  ease  him,  the  Lord 
said,  "  gather  seventy  of  the  elders  of  Israel,  whom  thou 
knowest  to  be  the  elders  of  the  people,  and  officers  over 
them,  and  bring  them  to  the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 
tion, that  they  may  stand  there  with  thee  ;"  and  Moses 
gathered  the  seventy  elders,  and  the  Lord  gave  of  the 
same  spirit  that  was  on  Moses  unto  them,  and  it  rested 
upon  them,  and  they  prophesied  ;  and  Ekiad  and  Mcdad 


52  A    LIVINCJ    TESTIMON^V 

remained  in  the  camp,  and  prophesied,  and  when  it  was 
told  Moses,  that  they  prophesied,  Moses,  being  pleased 
therewith,  said,  '*  would  to  God  that  all  the  Lord's  people 
were  prophets,  and  that  the  Lord  would  put  his  spirit 
upon  them." 

The  Israelites  lusting  after  flesh,  and  loathing  the  food 
that  God  gave  them,  the  Lord  was  wrath  with  them,  and 
brought  quails  from  the  sea,  and  let  them  fall  by  the 
camp,  and  the  people  gathered  them  ;  but  whilst  the  flesh 
was  yet  between  their  teeth,  ere  it  was  chewed,  the  wrath 
of  the  Lord  was  kindled  against  the  people,  and  the 
Lord  smote  the  people  with  a  very  great  plague  ; 
and  thus  God  punished  them  again  for  their  murmur- 
ing. 

Twelve  spies  were  now  sent,  one  for  every  tribe,  to 
discover  and  spy  out  the  land  of  Canaan.  After  forty 
days  spent  iv^^aichmg  out  the  land,  the  spies  returned 
to  Kadesh,  in  the  wilderness  of  Paran,  bringing  with 
them  one  branch  of  a  vine,  with  a  cluster  of  grapes  upon 
it,  gathered  in  the  valley  of  Eshcol.  Ten  of  the  twelve 
spies,  by  speaking  ill  of  the  countr}%  and  the  barr-enness 
thereof,  and  withal  magnifying  the  cities  for  their  strength, 
and  the  gigantic  stature  of  the  men  therein,  disheartened 
the  people  from  marching  any  further  toward  it,  whilst 
Caleb  did  all  he  could  to  persuade  the  people  to  go  on  ; 
and  now  the  people  began  again  to  murmur  against  Mo- 
ses and  Aaron,  and  would  go  back  again  into  Egypt, 
and  were  ready  to  stone  Caleb  and  Joshua,  for  saying, 
^'  The  land  was  an  exceeding  good  land,  and,  that  it  flow- 
ed with  milk  and  honey  ;"  and  because  of  the  people's 
complaining,  the  Lord  threatened  them  with  sudden  de- 
struction ;  but,  through  Moses's  intercession  and  prayer, 
the  Lord  spared  them  yet,  so,  that  withal  he  denounced 
to  them,  that  all  of  them  which  were  then  twenty  years 
old  and  upwards  should  die  in  the  wilderness,  and  should 
never  see  the  land  which  was  promised  unto  them  ;  and 
that  they  should  wander  in  that  wilderness  forty  years  ; 
"  but  my  servant  Caleb,  because  he  had  another  spirit^ 
and  hath  followed  me  fully,  him  will  I  bring  into  the  land, 
whereinto  Jie  went,  and  his  seed  shall  possess  it,'* 


M 


OF   THE    TRUE   CIItTRCH.  2^ 

Upon  this  calamity,  and  the  continual  dropping  away 
the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  Moses  prayed  unto  the 
rd,  and  thereupon  it  is  supposed  he  wrote  the  nine- 
Lh  psalm,  in  which  he  sheweth,  that  the  ordinary  age 
men  was  reduced  to  seventy  or  eighty  years  at  the 
)st,  so  that  now  the  age  of  man  was  again  contracted, 
.i  cut  shorter. 

And  at  length  the  people  for  lack  of  water,  murmured 
ainst  Moses  and  Aaron,  whom  God  commanded  to  call 
water  out  of  die  rock,  only  by  speaking  to  it.  Moses 
being  moved  in  his  mind,  said,  "  hear  now,  ye  reb^^ls, 
must  we  fetch  you  water  out  of  the  rock  ?"  And  with 
the  rod,  he  smote  the  rock  twice,  and  the  water  came 
forth  abundantly  ;  Moses  and  Aaioa  for  their  unbelief, 
here  shewn  in  executing  the  command  of  God,  were  de- 
barred from  entering  into  the  land  of  Canaan :  and  the 
waters  were  called  Meribah,  or,  waters  of  strife. 

In  the  fortieth  year  after  the  coming  ofThe  children  of 
Israel  out  of  Egypt,  Aaron  died  ;  and  sliortly  after,  God 
signified  to  Moses,  that  he  should  die  ;  and  Moses  de- 
sired the  Lord  to  set  a  man  over  the  people,  which  might 
go  in  and  out  before  them  :  and  that  they  miglit  not  be 
as  sheep  without  a  shepherd  ;  and  the  Lord  chose  Josh- 
ua, a  man  in  whom  was  the  spirit  of  God ;  and  Moses 
laid  his  hands  on  him,  and  gave  him  a  charge,  as  the 
Lord  had  commanded  him.  And  here  ends  the  matter 
of  the  five  books  of  Moses,  containing  the  history  of  the 
two  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty- two  years  and  a  half; 
and  the  children  of  Israel  mourned  for  Mjses,  as 
they  had  done  for  Aaron,  thirty  days  in  the  land  of 
Moab. 

Joshua  su$:ceeding  Moses,  the  Lord  promised  Joshua 
to  be  with  him,  and  to  assist  him  ;  and  the  Lord  was  with 
him  until  he  had  conquered  all  the  enemies  of  the  Israel- 
ites ;  and  when  God  was  about  to  give  the  Israelites  rest 
round  about  them,  so  that  thev  mi.fjht  dwell  there  secure- 
ly,  it  was  requisite  also,  that  a  place  should  be  appointed, 
which  himself  should  choose,  to  place  his  name  there  ; 
tNhcrefore,  coming  together  at  Sliiloh,  they  there  fixed 
the  tabernacle  of  the   congregation^,  after  the  whole  land 


24  A    LIVING    TESTIMONV 

was  subdued  unto  them.  Shiloh,  both  by  the  signification 
of  the  name,  and  also  b}^  the  situation  of  the  place,  seem- 
eth  to  be  the  same  with  Salem,  both  which  words  signi- 
fy peace  or  rest. 

Joshua  built  the  city  of  Timnah-Sera,  in  Mount  E- 
phraim,  in  which  he  dwelt  many  years,  after  God  had 
given  rest  to  Israel,  and  having  lived  an  hundred  and 
ten  years,  he  there  died  and  was  buried. 

After  the  decease  of  Joshua,  and  of  the  elders,  who 
out  lived  him,  the  w^onders  w^hich  God  had  wrought  for 
the  children  of  Israel,  from  the  time  of  their  being 
brought  out  of  Egypt,  began  to  be  forgotten  by  the  young 
men,  every  man  now  doing  what  seemed  good  in  his 
own  eyes.  All  those  disorders  were  committed,  which 
are  reported  in  the  five  last  chapters  of  the  book  of  Judg- 
es, to  wit,  the  idolatry  of  Micah,  and  the  children  of  Dan, 
and  the  war  of  the  Benjam.ites,  and  the  cause  thereof; 
and  there  succeeded  a  generation  of  men  who  forgot  God-, 
and  mingled  themselves  with  the  Canaanites  by  marriage, 
and  worshipped  their  Idols  ;  and  God  thereby  w^as  pro- 
voked to  VvTath,  and  gave  tliem  up  to  Cushan,  king  of 
Mesopotamia,  which  first  calamity  of  theirs  held  them 
eighty  years,  until  Othniel,  son-in-law  to  Caleb,  being 
stirred  up  by  God  as  a  judge  and  avenger  of  his  people, 
defeated  Cushan,  and  delivered  thic  Israelites  out  of  their 
bondage,  and  the  land  had  rest  forty  years,  after  the  rest 
which  Joshua  procured  them. 

After  the  decease  of  Othniel,  the  Israelites  falling  again 
to  sin  against  God,  were  again  given  over  into  the  hands 
of  Eglon,  king  of  Moab,  who  joining  with  the  Ammonites 
and  Amalekites,  overthrew  the  Israelites,  and  possessed 
the  city  of  Palm- Trees  ;  and  this  second  oppression  of 
theirs  continued  for  the  sj>ace  of  eighteen  years. 

Then  the  Lord  raised  up  Ehud  to  be  an  avenger  of  his 
people,  who  slew  Eglon  and  ten  thousand  of  the  vahant 
men  of  Moab,  and  the  land  of  Israel  had  rest  forty  years. 
But  when  Ehud  was  dead,  they  returned  to  their  old  sin  ; 
wherefore  they  were  brought  again  into  servitude  for 
twenty  years,  until  Jabin's  army  was  routed,  and  Sisera, 
captain  of  his  army  was  killed  by  Jael,  the  wife  of  Heber, 


OF    THE     TRUE   CHURCH*  2S 

in  her  own  tent,  with  a  nail  struck  into  the  temple  of  his 
head  ;  whereupon,  Deborah  a  prophetess,  who  at  that 
time  judged  Israel,  made  a  song  thereof,  for  a  memorial 
of  that  victory,  and  the  land  rested  forty  years. 

The  Israelites  sinning  again,  and  doing  evil  in  the 
sight  of  the  Lord,  he  delivered  them  into  the  hand  of 
of  Midian  seven  years.  The  Israelites,  falling  into  this 
fourth  servitude,  cried  unto  the  Lord  for  help,  and  he 
sent  a  prophet  unto  them,  who  reproved  them,  and 
shewed  them  what  great  things  the  Lord  had  done  for 
them,  and  encouraged  them,  that  they  should  not  fear  the 
Gods  of  the  Amorites  ;  and  the  Lord  raised  up  Gideon, 
being  stirred  up  by  an  Angel  sent  from  God  to  deliver 
them  ;  and  first,  by  command  from  God,  he  overturned 
the  altar  of  Baal,  and  burnt  his  grove  ;  and  the  Midian- 
ites  and  Amorites  pitching  their  cr-mp  against  him,  the 
spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  Gideon,  and  out  of  thirty- 
two  thousand  men,  he  chose  only  three  hundred,  accord" 
ing  to  God's  commandment,  to  fight  against  them,  that 
so  the  victory  of  salvation  might  appear  to  be  of  the  arm 
of  the  Lord,  that  Israel  might  not  vaunt  themseh'es  a- 
gainst  him.  After  he  had  obtained  tjie  victoiy,  when  the 
Israelites  offered  to  settle  the  kingdom  on  his  posterity,  he 
refused  it,  saying,  the  Lord  shall  rule  over  you  ;  but  re- 
ceiving their  golden  earrings,  he  made  thereof  an  Ephod, 
whereof  they  afterward  took  an  occasion  to  fall  into  idola- 
try ;  but  the  Midianites  being  vanquished,  the  land  had 
rest  forty  years!  As  soon  as  Gideon  was  dead,  the  Isra- 
elites failing  back  to  idolatry,  w^orshipped  Baal-Berith  for 
their  God  ;  and  Abimelech  the  son  of  Gideon,  purposing 
to  get  unto  himself  the  kingdom,  which  his  father  had 
refused,  slew  seventy  of  his  brethren,  all  upon  one  stone,. 
When  Abimelech  had  gotten  the  kingdom,  and  had  reign- 
ed three  years,  Gaal,  a  man  of  Shechcm,  conspired  against 
him,  which  being  discovered  to  Abimelech,  the  city  of 
Shechem  was  utterly  destroyed,  and  the  inhabitants  put 
to  the  sword:  and  from  thence,  Abimelech,  going  to  be- 
siege Thehez,  was  knocked  on  the  head  with  apiece  of  a 
millstone  cast  at  him  by  a  woman,  and  then  killed  out  right 
bv  his  own  armour-bearer. 


2$  A    tlVINC    TESTIMONY 

Now  the  Israelites  forsaking  again  the  true  God,  anS 
falling  to  worship  the  Gods  of  several  nations,  were  given 
up  into  the  hands  of  the  Philistines* 

Samson  the  Nazarite  was  born  at  Zorah,  who  avenged 
the  Israelites  twenty  years  in  the  time  of  the  Philistines, 
and  who  slew  a  thousand  of  them  at  one  time,  with  the 
jaw-bone  of  an  ass  :  in  which  place,  called  Lehi,  from 
that  jaw-bone,  God,  at  the  prayer  of  Samson,  clave  an 
hollow  place  that  was  in  the  jaw,  and  there  came  water 
thereout,  and  when  he  had  drunk,  he  was  revived, 
wherefore,  he  called  the  name  thereof  En-bekkore,  that 
is,  the  fountain  of  him  which  called  upon  God. 

Samson  being  betrayed  by  Delilah,  and  spoiled  of  the 
hair  of  his  NazcU-iteship,  was  delivered  to  the  Philistines, 
who,  plucking  out  his  eyes,  carried  him  away  prisoner 
to  Gaza,  and  put  him  there  in  prison,  fast  bound  in  chains^ 
where  his  strength  renewing  again,  he  pulled  down  the 
house,  to  which  they  brought  him  to  make  sport,  killing 
the  princes  of  the  Philistines,  with  a  very  great  multitude 
of  people  which  were  therein  ;  more  men  being  killed  at 
the  fall  thereof,  including  himself,  than  he  had  slain  in  all 
his  life  before  ;  and, he  wab  buried  with  his  fathers,  after 
he  had  been  the  avenger  of  the  Israelites  twenty  years. 

The  Israelites  being  grievously  oppressed  by  the  phil- 
istines,  and  Samson  being  dead,  Samuel  was  raised  up 
of  the  Lord  to  be  a  prophet  unto  them ;  who,  by  his 
faithfulness,  was  found  a  true  prophet,  and  by  his  word^ 
he  was  known  to  be  faithful  in  vision.  He  exhorted  them 
to  turn  to  the  Lord  with  all  their  hearts,  and  to  put  away 
their  strange  Gods,  and  to  prepare  their  hearts  unto  the 
Lord,  and  to  serve  him  only  ;  and  he  would  deliver  them 
outoftlie  hands  of  the  Philistines.  Then  the  children 
of  Israel  put  away  their  Gods,  and  served  the  Lord  only^ 
and  the  Philistines  came  no  more  to  invade  the  borders 
o^  the  Israelites,  because  they  saw  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
tvas  against  them  all  the  days  of  Samuel,  till  Saul  cq^c 
to  be  king,  under  whom  they  returned  again,  and  griev- 
/)usly  oppressed  Israel.  And  Samuel  behig  now  growa 
old,  took  to  him  his  two  sons  to  be  his  assistants,  to  judge 
file  people,  and  his  sons  walked  not  in  his  ways,  but  tunv 


OF   THE   TRUE   CHURCH.  27 

ed  aside  after  lucre,  and  took  bribes,  andper\Trtedjudg» 
ment;  wherefore,  the  Israelites  were  offended,  and  desired 
Samuel  that  they  might  have  a  king  to  rule  them,  as 
other  nations  had  ;  thib  displeased  Samuel,  and  he  prayed 
unto  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  said,  '*  hearken  unto  the  peo- 
ple, for  they  have  not  rejected  thee,  but  they  have  rejects 
ed  me,  that  I  should  not  reign  over  them:"  whereupon 
the  Lord  gave  them  a  king  in  his  wrath,  to  wit,  Saul : 
and  nowbegan  the  Israelites'  trouble  again,  for  the  Amor^ 
ites  besieged  them;  and  Saul  reigned  but  a  short  time  un- 
til he  was  put  from  the  kingdom  by  the  philistines,  and 
the  Israelites  were  again  grievously  enslaved  by  them. 

Jesse  the  Ephrathite,  in  his  old  age  had  his  youngest 
son  David  born  at  Bethlehem  which,  therefore,  was  af. 
terwards  called  the  city  of  David,  thirty  years  before  he 
succeeded  Saul,  in  the  kingdom. 

God  having  now  rejected  Saul,  and  debarred  his  race 
and  family  from  succeeding  in  the  kingdom,  sent  Sam- 
tiel,  after  his  long  mouming  for  Saul,  to  Bethlehem, 
there  to  anoint  David  to  be  king,  forty  years  before  the 
rebellion  of  Absalom,  who,  was  called  from  keeping  his 
father's  sheep,  and  preferred  before  his  elder  brethren  ; 
and  being  anointed  in  their  presence,  he  incurred  their 
envy,  no  less  than  Joseph  did  of  his  brethren;  and  at  last, 
was  set  over  the  tribe  of  Judah,  at  the  same  age  that  Jo- 
seph w^as  made  ruler  over  all  Eg^pt.  From  the  very  day 
of  his  anointing,  the  spirit  of  God  came  upon  him;  to  wit, 
the  spirit  of  courage  and  wisdom,  in  both  which  respects, 
even  whilst  Saul  lived,  he  was  made  Captain  over  Israel, 
and  withal  grew  a  great  warrior  to  fight  the  Lord^s  bat- 
tle, and  besides  was  a  prophet,  and  w^as  made  the  sweet 
singer  of  Israel,  as  one  who  by  his  divine  psalms  should 
teach  and  instruct  the  people  of  God. 

The  armies  of  the  Israelites  and  Philistines  being 
ready  for  battle,  Goliah  ofGath.the  Philistine,  their  great 
champion,  defied  the  armies  of  Israel ;  wherefore  David 
being  stirred  in  his  zeal,  said,  *'  who  is  this  uncircum- 
cised  Philistme,  that  he  should  defy  the  armies  of  the 
living  God  ?"  but  Eliab,  David's  eldest  brother,  hear- 
ing  him,  was  offended,  and  asked^  with  whom  h«  had  left 


28  A    LIVING     TESTIMONY 

the  sheep  in  the  wilderness  ;  and  told  him,  he  knew  the 
pride  and  haughtiness  of  his  heart  ;  and  said  he,  thou  art 
come  down  t  at  thou  nuiyst  see  the  battle.  David  said, 
*'what  I  have  now  done,  is  there  not  a  cause?"  Saul  being 
acquainted  with  David  s  .words,  sent  for  him  ;  and  David 
told  Saul,  he  would  fight  the  Philistine  ;  Saul  replied, 
^'  Thou  art  not  able  to  fight  him,  he  is  a  man  of  war, 
and  thou  art  but  a  youth  ;"  David  told  him,  whilst  he 
was  keeping  his  father's  slieep,  he  had  killed  a  lion  and  a 
bear,  and  that  this  uncircumcised  Philistine,  who  had  defi- 
ed the  armies  of  the  living  God,  should  be  as  one  of  them; 
then  Saul  bade  him  go,  and  said  the  Lord  be  with  thee, 
and  armed  him  with  his  armour,  which  David  put  off  a- 
gain,  and  took  only  his  staiF,  and  five  smooth  stones  out 
of  the  brook,  and  put  them  in  his  Shepherd's  bag ;  and 
with  his  sling  in  his  hand,  he  drew  near  to  the  Philistine. 
The  Philistine  despised  his  coming  so  meanly  armed  : 
D.vid  said,  *'  thou  comest  with  sword,  spear,  and  shield; 
I  come  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  ;  and  all  the 
assembly  shall  know,  that  the  Lord  saveth  not  with 
sword  and  spear,  for  the  battle  is  the  Lord's."  And  Da- 
vid slew  the  Philistine  with  a  stone  and  a  sliig  ;  and 
Saul  taking  notice  of  David's  valour,  inquired  whose  son 
the  stripling  David  v/as  ;  and  David  brought  the  Philis- 
tine's head  to  Saul,  which  he  had  cut  off  with  the  Phil- 
istine's own  sv/ord,  having  first  slain  him  with  a  stone 
which  he  slung  at  him  :  and  David  told  Saul  whose  son 
lie  was;  and  after  this,  David  went  out  whithersoever  Saul 
sent  him,  and  behaved  himself  wisely. 

And  David  returning  from  the  slaughter  of  the  Philis- 
tines because  it  was  said,  Saul  hath  slain  his  thousands, 
and  David  his  ten  thousands,  Saul  was  very  wroth  with 
David  from  that  day  forwards,  and  an  evil  spirit  entered 
Saul,  and  the  Lord  departed  from  him,  and  he  was  afraid 
of  David,  because  he  saw  the  Lord  was  with  him;  and 
David  behaved  himself  wisely,  and  all  Israel  and  Judah 
loved  him,  but  esp  cially  Jonathan  the  son  of  Saul,  who 
made  a  covenant  with  David,  because  he  loved  him  as  his 
own  soul ;  and  David  fearing  he  might  at  last  fall  into 


OF    THE     TRUE    CHURCH.  29 

Saul's  hands,  fled  ;  for  Saul  became  David's  enemy  con- 
tinuallv. 

And  David  being  fled,  and  the  armies  of  the  Philis- 
tines invading  the  land,  Saul  fell  into  a  fear,  and  sought 
counsel  from  the  Lord,  but  receiving  no  answer  fiom  him 
neither  by  dream,  nor  by  Urini,  nor  by  prophets,  he 
went  to  Endor  b}-  night  to  consult  with  a  witch  :  where, 
in  a  vision,  he  saw^  Sumuel,  who  said  to  Saul,  *' God  shall 
deliver  Israel,  together  with  thyself,  into  the  hands  of 
the  Philistines  ;  for  the  Lord  hath  rent  the  kingdom  out 
of  thine  hand,  and  given  it  to  thy  neighbour,  even  to 
David,  (because  thou  didst  not  obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord, 
and  didst  LOt  execute  his  fierce  wrath  upon  Amalek," 

The  host  of  Israel  being  routed,  che  sons  of  Saul  were 
all  slain  and  Saul  killed  himself.  When  David  heard  it, 
he  much  lamented  the  death  of  Saul  and  Jonathan,  say- 
ing, "  tell  it  not  in  Gath,  publish  it  not  in  the  streets  of 
Askelon,  lest  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines  rejoice,  lest 
the  daughters  of  the  uncircumcised  triumph;"  and  fur- 
ther, he  said,  ''  I  am  distressed  for  thee  my  brother  Jon- 
athan ;  very  pleasant  hast  thou  been  unto  me  ;  thy  love 
to  me  was  wonderful,  passing  the  love  of  w^omen." 

David,  having  now  built  him  an  house  of  cedar,  and 
living  in  a  full  and  perfect  peace,  imparted  unto  Nathan 
th^  prophet,  the  purpose  he  had  of  building  a  house  for 
God  ;  but  was  answered  from  God,  that  this  was  a  work 
which  should  not  be  done  by  him,  because  he  was  a  man 
of  blood,  but  by  his  son  Solomon,  a  man  of  peace,  which 
should  be  born  unto  him. 

Now  David  subdued  the  Philistines,  the  Edomites,  the 
Amalekites,  the  Moabites,  the  Ammonites,  and  the  S\  ri- 
ans  ;  and  die  bounds  of  Israel  w^re  stretched  out  to  the 
outmost  part  of  all  that  land,  which  had  been  formerly 
promised  to  the  seed  of  Abraham,  but  never  before  pos- 
sessed so  fully  by  any  of  them,  as  by  David  and  Solomon 
his  son. 

At  the  end  of  this  year,  whilst  David  took  his  ease  at 
Jerusalem,  he  there  defiled  by  adultery  Bathshcba,  the 
wife  of  Uriah,  the  hittite,  who  was  then  in  the  army,  and 
in, consequence  thereof,  he  caused  the  husband  to  be  slain 


30  A    LIVING    TESTIMONV 

by  the  hands  of  the  Ammonites.  When  the  child  so  got- 
ten in  adultery  was  born,  David,  being  convinced  by  Na- 
than the  prophet  of  his  evil,  acknowledged  his  transgres- 
sion, saying,  "  my  sin  is  ever  before  me  ;"  and  he  repen- 
ted of  his  sin,  as  may  be  seen  at  large  in  Psalm  51  ;  yet 
the  new-born  babe  was  taken  away  by  death.  Badishe- 
ba  being  now  his  wife,  bare  David  a  son,  unto  whom, 
as  to  one  who  should  prove  a  man  of  peace,  God  gave 
the  name  of  Solomon. 

David  for  numbering  the  people,  kindled  the  wrath  of 
God  against  the  Israelites  :  wherefore,  Gad  the  Prophet 
said  to  David,  "  thus  saith  the  Lord  ;  choose  one  of  them, 
that  I  may  do  unto  thee,  viz.  whether  famine,  sword,  or 
pestilence  ;"  and  David  said,  "  lam  in  a  great  strait  ;" 
and  his  heart  smote  him  ;  for  he  saw  the  evil  he  had 
done  in  numbering  the  people,  and  said,  **  let  us  now  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  Lord,  for  his  mercies  are  great ;  and 
and  let  me  not  fall  into  the  hands  of  men."  So  the  Lord 
sent  the  pestilence  upon  Israel,  and  there  died  seventy 
thousand  men  in  one  day, 

David  being  now  seventy  years  of  age,  and  being 
broken  with  continual  cares  and  wars,  grew  weak  and  fee- 
ble  ;  and  Adonijah  his  son  seeing  his  father  thus  declin- 
ing, by  the  counsel  and  advice  of  Joab  and  Abiathar  the 
high  priest,  made  himself  king  ;  whereof,  when  David 
was  advertised  by  Bathsheba  and  Nathan,  lie  presently 
caused  his  son  Solomon  to  be  anointed  king,  by  Zadock 
the  priest,  and  Nathan  the  prophet,  and  Benaiah  the  son 
of  Jehoiada  in  Gihon  ;  upon  which,  as  soon  as  Adonijah 
heard  it,  he  fled  ;  and  afterwards,  laying  hold  on  thc^ 
horns  of  the  altar,  was  pardoned  by  the  favour  of  Solo- 
mon, and  set  at  liberty ;  and  David  assembling  all  the 
governors  and  chiefs  of  Israel,  together  with  his  sons 
and  servants,  exhorted  them  all  to  fear  and  worship 
God. 

David  departed  this  life,  having  reigned  in  Hebron  sev- 
en years  and  six  months  ;  and  thirty  three  years  in  Jeru* 
salem  over  all  Israel. 

Solomon  loved  the  Lord,  and  walked  in  the  statutes  of 
DaViji  his  father ;  and  in  Gibeon  the  Lord  appeared  t^ 


OF    THE    TRUE    CHURCH.  31 

him  in  a  dream,  and  bade  him  ask  and  choose  v/hat  he 
would,  and  it  should  be  given  him  ;  and  Solomon  said, 
*'  thou  hast  shewed  unto  thy  servant  David  my  father, 
great  mercy,  according  as  he  walked  before  thee  in  truth 
and  righteousness  ;  and  now,  O  my  Lord  God  !  Thou 
hast  made  thy  servant  king,  instead  of  David  my  father  ; 
and  I  am  but  a  little  child,  I  know  not  how  to  go  out  or 
come  in  :'*  and  he  asked  wisdom,  and  an  understanding 
heart  to  be  given  him  of  God  ;  and  the  speech  pleased 
the  Lord,  that  Solomon  had  asked  this  thing  ;  God, 
therefore,  gave  wisdom  from  above,  exceeding  any  that 
was  before  him,  or  should  come  after  him,  and  of  his 
wisdom,  the  first  experiment  was  made  in  deciding  the 
controversy  between  the  two  women,  about  the  child, 
which  first  gave  him  an  esteem  among  the  people,  when 
they  saw  the  wisdom  of  God,  was  in  him  to  do  judg- 
ment. 

Solomon  having,  according  to  his  father's  direction,  in 
whose  heart  it  was  to  build  an  house  for  the  name  of  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel,  built  the  temple,  which  was  seven 
years  and  a  half  in  building  ;  in  the  building  of  which 
there  was  neither  hammer  nor  axe,  nor  any  tool  of  iron, 
Jheard  in  the  house,  and  Solomon,  having  built  the  tem- 
ple, placed  there  the  ark,  wherein  was  the  covenant  of 
the, Lord,  which  he  made  with  the  children  of  Israel, 
when  he  brought  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  ;  and 
Solomon  stood  before  the  altar  of  the  Lord  ;  and,  in  the 
presence  of  the  people,  said,  "  Lord  God  of  Israel,  there 
is  no  God  like  thee  in  heaven  above,  or  in  ear^h  beneati. ! 
who  keepest  covenant  and  mercy  with  tity  servants,  that 
walk  before  thee  with  all  their  heart."  And  he  made 
a  long  prayer  for  the  preservation  of  the  people  ;  and 
desired  the  Lord  would  be  with  them,  as  he  was  with 
iheir  fathers,  and  not  leave  them,  nor  forsake  them  ;  and 
that  he  would  incline  their  hearts  unto  him,  to  wi-.lk  in  all 
his  ways,  to  keep  his  statutes  and  judgments,  which  he 
commanded  their  fathers :  thus,  was  Solomon's  bcgin- 
iiing ;  but  it  was  not  long  until  he  was  drawn  away  by 
many  strange  women,  who,  towards  his  latter  days,  drew 
away  Im  heart  unto  idolatry,  and  his  heart  was  not  per- 


32  A    LIVING     TESTIMONY 

feet  with  the  Lord  his  God,  as  was  the  heart  of  David 
his  father ;  for  he  went  after  the  abominations  of  the 
Ammonites  ;  and  he  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord, 
and  went  not  fully  after  the  Lord,  as  did  David  his  fa- 
ther ;  and  he  built  an  high  place  for  ClieniOsh,  the  abom- 
ination of  Moab  ;  and  for  these  things,  t  e  Lord  was  an- 
gry with  Solomon,  and  said,  ''  because  thou  hast  not 
kept  my  covenant,  I  will  surely  rend  the  kingdom  from 
thee;  yet  in  thy  days  I  will  not  do  it  for  David  thy  fa- 
ther's sake  ;"  but  after  this,  Solomon  repented  deeply, 
and  made  his  peace  with  tlie  Lord,  as  may  be  seen  at 
large  in  t  e  book  called  the  Preacher  ;  and  at  last  he  died 
when  he  had  reigned  forty  years. 

Rehoboam  the  son  of  Solomon,  when  all  Israel  met  at 
Sechem  to  make  him  king,  by  a  harsh  answer  made  unto 
them,  alienated  the  hearts  of  the  ten  tribes  from  him, 
who  presently  sending  into  Egypt  for  Jeroboam  the  son 
of  Nebat,  made  him  king  over  them  ;  and  fell  off  both 
from  the  house  of  David,  and  also  from  the  true  worship 
of  God  ;  in  memory  of  which  sad  disaster,  the  Jews  after- 
ward kept  a  solemn  fast  yearly,  upon  the  twenty- 
third  of  the  third  mont:i,  called  Sivan,  from  this  dismal 
rent  made  in  that  knigdom.  Rehoboam  reigned  over 
Judah  and  Benjamin,  seventeen  years  ;  and  Jeroboam 
over  Israel,  that  is,  over  the  ten  tribes,  the  space  of  twen- 
ty years. 

Jeroboam  fearing  est  his  new- gotten  subjects  should 
revolt  from  liim  again,  in  order  to  divert  their  thoughts 
from  looking  any  more  after  Jerusalem,  introduced  anew 
devised  form  of  religion,  setting  up  two  golden  calves;  the 
one  at  Bethel,  the  other  at  Dan ;  and  there  he  offered 
sacrifices  to  his  calves,  and  the  people  ran  after  his  idola- 
try. 

At  which  time,  a  prophet,  and  man  of  God  out  of  Ju- 
dea,  went  to  Bethel,  and  cried  out  against  the  altar,  in 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  bore  his  testimony  against  the 
king's  idolatry  ;  and  when  the  king  stretched  forth  his 
hand  to  lay  hold  on  him,  his  hand  was  dried  up,  and  trie 
prophet  foretold,  that  the  altar  sliould  be  rent.  After 
this  prophet  had  done  his  message,,  he  was  charged  by  tlie 


01*     THE     TRUE     CHURCH^  55 

Lord  not  to  eat  bread,  nor  to  drink  water,  nor  return  by 
the  way  that  he  came  ;  but  being  deceived  by  another^ 
who  said  he  was  a  prophet,  and  abused  the  word  of  God 
unto  him,  was  unfaithful  unto  God's  command:  wherefore 
as  he  was  returning  homeward,  he  was  slain  by  a  lion 
whereof,  when  tidings  came  to  the  prophet  who  deceived 
him,  he  took  up  his  body  and  buried  it,  mourning  over 
him,  saying,  alas  !  my  brother,  and  assured  his  sons,  that 
what  had  been  foretold  by  the  man  of  God  should  come 
to  pass. 

The  Israelites  who  feared  God,  flilling  off  from  Jerobo- 
am to  Rehoboam,  maintained  the  kingdom  of  Judah  three 
years,  which  time  they  ^valked  in  the  ways  of  David  and 
Solomon. 

Rehoboam  being  once  settled  in  his  kingdom,  forsook 
the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  all  Israel  and  Judah  with  him  j 
for  the  Jews  who,  by  their  good  example,  should  have 
stirred  up  their  brethren  the  Israelites  to  repentance,  pro- 
voked  the  Lord  with  their  own  sins,  wherein  they  offen- 
ded more  than  any  of  their  fore- fathers  had  done  ;  they 
made  also  to  themselves  high  places,  images,  and  groves 
upon  every  high  hill,  and  under  every  green  tree,  doing 
according  to  all  the  abominations  of  the  Gentiles,  which 
the  Lord  had  therefore  cast  out  before  them. 

After  Rehoboam,  succeeded  Abijah,  who  putting  his 
trust  and  confidence  in  God,  obtained  a  great  victory  a- 
gainst  Jeroboam,  and  slew  five  hundred  thousand  men, 
and  took  Bethel,  where  one  of  the  idolatrous  calves  was 
set  up. 

After  the  death  of  Abijah,  Asa  his  son  succeeded,  and 
God  gave  ten  years  peace,  without  interruption  in  the 
land  ;  and  this  godly  king  Asa  put  away  all  idolatry,  and 
reformed  the  kingdom  ;  but  when  Asa  died,  though  he 
was  good,  yet  a  better  succeeded  in  his  stead,  his  son  Je- 
hoshaphat,  who  being  settled  in  his  kingdom,  began  with 
takin^^  away  the  high  places,  and  the  groves  :  but  when 
Jehoshaphat  died,  Jehoram,  his  wicked  son.  slew  all  his 
brethren,  and  many  of  the  princes  of  Israel ;  and  following 
the  counsel  of  his  wicked  wife  Athaliah,  he  set  up  in  Judah, 
and  even  in  Jerusalem  itself,  the   idolatrous  worship  oi' 

F 


34  A    LIVING    tESTIMONir 

Baal,  after  the  manner  of  his  father-m-lavv  Ahab  and  hb 
house ;  for  which  he  was  repro\  ed  in  a  letter  by  the 
prophet  Ehjai},  who  foretold  him  what  calamities  should 
fall  upon  liim,  because  he  had  not  walked  in  the  ways  of 
his  fat.ier,  but  had  made  Judah,  and  the  inhabitants  of  Jer- 
usalem, go  a  whoring,  like  tiie  whoredoms  of  the  house 
of  Anab,  and  also  had  slain  his  brethren  of  his  father's 
house,  who  were  better  than  himself ;  and  according  to 
what  the  prophet  had  foretold,  the  Lord  struck  Jehoram 
with  an  incurable  disease  in  the  bowels,  and  he  died  a 
miserable  death.  And  his  son  Ahaziah  succeeded  him, 
who  also  walked  in  t.ie  ways  of  the  wicked  house  of  Ai.ab 
for  his  mother  was  l-is  counsellor  to  do  wickedly,  and  the 
evil  that  he  did  in  the  sight  of  tiie  Lord,  was  his  destruc- 
tion :  being  sick,  he  asked  counsel  of  Baalzebub,  the  God 
of  the  Ekmnites,  concerning  his  recovery.  The  prophet 
Elijah  told  the  king  plainly  that  he  should  die,  and  accor- 
dingly he  died. 

Athaliah  the  daughter  of  Ahab,  seeing  her  own  son 
Ahaziah  dead,  destroyed  all  tlie  race  of  the  house  of  Ju- 
dah,  and  possessed  herself  of  the  khigdom  ;  but  Jehoshe- 
ba,  the  Daughter  of  king  Joram,  and  wife  to  Jelioiada  the 
hig^^  priest,  took  Joash,  being  then  an  infant,  and  son  to 
her  brother  Ahaziah,  and  :id  him,  with  his  nurse,  six 
months  in  the  temple,  whilst  Athaliah  ruled;  and  at  seven, 
years  end,  brought  i  im  forth,  and  anointed  him  king, 
and  caused  Athaliah  to  be  slain,  and  restored  the  wor- 
ship of  the  true  God,  destroying  tiie  worship  of  Baal. 

This  Joash  did  that  which  was  right  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord,  all  the  days  of  Jehoida  the  priest.  After  the  deatli  of 
Jeboida,  tlie  king  hearkening  to  the  princes  of  Judah, 
they  left  the  house  of  the  Lord  God  of  their  Fathers,  and 
served  Groves  and  idols,  for  which  sin  the  Lord  sent  his 
wrath  upon  them  ;  yet  he  sent  his  prophets  to  tes- 
tify against  them,  and  to  bring  them  back  again  ;  but  they 
would  not  hear,  and  Zachariah,  the  son  of  Jehoida,  was 
moved  by  the  spirit  of  God  to  tell  them  that  they  had  for- 
saken God,  and  that  he  had  forsaken  them  ;  for  which 
message,  they  stoned  him  to  death,  at  the  commandment 
of  the  king.      Thus  Joash  the  king  remembered  not  the 


OF   THE    TRUE   CHURCH.  35 

I'indness  which  Jehoida,  Zachariah's  fiuher,  had  done  to 
hini ;  and  ^\'hen  the  prophet  died,  he  said,  *'  the  Lord  look 
upon  it  and  requite  it."  And,  now  mark,  what  was  the  end 
of"  tins  king  ;  his  own  servants  conspired  against  him,  and 
slew  him  in  his  bed,  as  may  be  seen  more  at  large  in  the 
account  given  of  God  s  judgments  against  persecutors, 

Amaziah  succeeded  Joash,  and  he  did  that'which  was 
right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  but  not  with  a  perfect 
heart,  for  at  last  he  set  up  the  gods  of  the  children  of  Seir, 
and  bowed  himself  before  thtm,  and  burnt  incense  unto 
them  ;  wherefore  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  kindled  a 
gainsthim,  and  he  sent  a  prophet  unto  him  to  reprove  him, 
to  whom  the  king  said,  *'  art  thou  made  of  the  king's 
council,  forbear,  where  fore  shouldst  thou  be  smitten  ?" 
**  Nevertheless,  the  prophet  said  '  I  know  God  hath  de- 
termined to  destroy  thee;"  and  alter  the  time  that  this 
king  turned  away  his  heart  from  the  Lord,  he  was  slain. 

After  him  succeeded  Uzziah,  under  whom  did  the 
kingdom  of  Judah  flourish  no  less  than  that  ot  .er  of  Is- 
rael did  under  Jeroboam  the  second,  and  he  did  that  which 
was  right  in  tiie  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  lie  sought  God  in 
the  da\  s  of  Zechariah  and  as  long  as  he  sought  the  Lord 
and  applied  his  mind  to  matters  of  piety,  God  made  him 
to  prosper,  and  he  subdued  the  Philistines,  and  other 
boi'dering  enemies  :  And  thus,  w^hilst  he  was  weak  and 
low,  he  was  marvellously  helped  against  his  enemies; 
but  when  he  was  strong,  and  looked  at  his  own  strength, 
his  heart  was  lifted  up  to  his  destruction ;  for  he  trans- 
gressed against  the  Lord,  and  buriit  incense  ;  \vherefore, 
the  Lord  smote  lim  with  the  leprosy,  and  he  remained  a 
leper  to  the  day  of  his  death,  and  dwelt  in  a  house  sepa- 
rately, for  he  was  cut  oK  from  the  house  of  the  Lord; 
and  he  being  dead,  Jotham  his  son  reigned,  and  he  did 
that  which  was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  howbeit 
the  people  did  yet  do  corruptly  ;  but  he  became  mighty, 
because  he  prepared  his  ways  before  the  Lord  his  God. 
After  him  reigned  Ahaz  his  son,  who  did  not  that  which 
was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord ;  for  he  walked  in  the 
ways  of  the  kings  of  Israel,  who  made  also  molten  ima- 
ges for  Balaam,  and  burnt  incense  on  the  high  places, 


36  A    LIVING     TESTIMONY 

and  under  every  green  tree,  wherefore,  the  Lord  deliver- 
ed him  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  And  thus  the 
reader  may  see  how  tiiese  people  and  the  children  of  Judah 
and  Israel,  to  whom  God  had  given  a  commandment 
that  they  should  fear  him,  and  not  forget  him,  and  that 
then  he  would  deliver  them  from  their  enemies,  did  not 
hearken,  but  were  ready  often  to  backslide,  and  to  serve 
their  graven  imitges,  both  their  children  and  their  chil- 
dren's children  unto  this  day. 

Ahaz  being  dead,  Hezekiah  his  son  began  to  reign, 
and  he  did  that  whicli  was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord, 
according  to  all  that  his  father  David  did,  he  removed 
the  high  places,  and  broke  the  images,  and  cut  down  the 
groves,  and  brake  in  pieces  the  brazen  serpent  that  Mo- 
ses had  made  ;  for,  in  those  days,  the  children  of  Israel 
did  burn  incense  to  it ;  and  he  called  it  Nehushtan,  that 
is  to  say,  a  little  piece  of  brass.  And  thus,  this  good  re- 
former trusted  in  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  and  he  left  not 
off  throwing  down  the  altars  and  high  places,  until  he 
had  destroyed  them  all,  causing  a  thorough  reformation. 
And  his  zeal  was  so  great  for  the  Lord,  that  after  him, 
as  it  is  recorded,  was  none  like  him  among  all  the  kings 
of  Judah,  nor  any  that  was  before  him  ;  for  he  clave  to 
the  Lord,  and  departed  not  from  following  him,  and  the 
Lord  was  with  him,  and  he  prospered  him  whithersoev- 
er he  went  forth. 

Hezekiah  falling  sick  unto  death,  the  prophet  Isaiah 
being  commanded  of  the  Lord,  said  unto  him,  '*set  thine 
house  in  order,  for  thou  shalt  die,  and  not  live."  This 
moved  Hezekiah's  heart,  that  he  wept  sore,  and  turning  to 
the  wall,  prayed  unto  the  Lord,  saying,  '*  I  beseech  thee, 
O  Lord,  remember  now  how  I  have  walked  before  thee 
in  truth,  and  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  have  done  that 
which  is  good  in  thy  sight ;"  wherefore,  the  Loid  had 
compassiv)n  on  him,  and  added  fifteen  years  more  to  his 
days.  And  Hezekiah  dying,  Manasseh  his  son,  reign- 
ed, and  did  that  \\'hich  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord, 
after  the  abomination  of  the  heathen,  building  the  high 
places  which  his  father  had  destroyed,  and  again  reared  up 
altars  for  Baal,    and  worsliipped  all  tlie  host  of  heaven, 


OF    THE    TRUE    CHURCH.  37 

and  served  them,  and  used  enchantments  ;  and  dealing 
with   ianiiiiar  spirits   and  ^\izards,    he  wroup^ht    much 
wickedness  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  to  provoke  him  to 
anirer ;  which   abomniations  the   Lord  sent  his  servants 
and  proplicts  to  foretel,   that  he  would  brmg  such  evil 
upon  Jerusalem  and  Judah,  that  whosoever  shouid  hear 
it,  their  ears  should  tingle  :  and  the  Lord  brought  upon 
Manasseh,  the  host  of  the  Assyriiins,   who  took  Manas- 
seh,  and  bound  him  with  fetters,  and  carried  him  cap- 
tive to  Babylon.     And  now  being  in  affliction,  he  be- 
sought the  Lord,  and  humbled  himself  greatly  before  the 
God  of  his  fathers  ;  wherefore,  the  Lord  restored  him  his 
kingdom,  and  then  he  knew  that  the  Lord  was  God,  and 
he  cast  out  the  altars   that  he  had  built,  and  took  away 
the  strange  Gods  and  idols,  and  commanded  the  people 
to  serve  the  Lord  God  of  Israci  ;   but  still  the  people  re- 
tained the   high   places  to  woiship    in.    And   after  his 
death,  his  son   Amon  was  punished  by  tlu  Lord,  being 
slain  by  his  servants  in  his  own  h.ouse.     And  now  these 
two  bad  kings  being  taken   away,    the   Lord  raised  up 
another  s:ood  kino:,   \vhich  was  Josiah  the  son  of  Amon, 
who  reigned  thirty -four  \ears  ni  Jerusalem  ;  and  caused 
again  a  blessed  aiid  thorough  leiormation  amongst  the 
people  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem,  making  a  covenant  be- 
fore the  Lord  to  walk  ai"ter  the   Lord,  and  to  keep  his 
testimonies  with  all  his  heart,  and  witli  all  his  soul ;  and 
ha  likewise   cleansed  away   the   abominations  from  the 
people,  and    again   stirred  them  u|j  to   serve  the  Lord 
their  God  ;  and  all  his  days,  tliC}  departed  not  from  fol- 
lowing the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers. 

Neco,  king  of  Egypt,  by  God's  command,  went  a- 
eainst  the  kino:  of  Assvria,  who  at  that  time  made  war 
upon  him,  2  Kings,  xxiii.  29,  2  Clron.  xxxv.  20,21. 
Josiah  unadvisedly  engaging  in  this  war,  was  slain  ;  and 
this  good  king  being  taken  out  ot  the  world,  there  were 
such  lamentations,  that  it  grew  almost  a  common  prov- 
erb. The  lamentation  of  liadadrimon,  in  the  valley  of 
iMegiddo  ;  for  not  only  the  whole  people  living,  won- 
derfully bevvailed  the  death  of  Josiah,  but  the  ages  fol- 
lo^^ing  were  sensible  of  thcloss  of  him  :  and  the  prophet 


38  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

Jeremiah,  in  remembrance  thereof,  wrote  his  mournful 
book  of  Lamentations,  wherein  bewailing  the  calandties 
which  were  shortl}  to  befal  the  people,  as  if  he  had  then 
presently  beheld  them,  using  these  words,  "  the  breath 
of  our  nostrils,  the  anointed  of  the  Lords  is  taken  in  their 
pits ;  of  whom,  we  said,  under  the  si.adow  of  his 
wings,  we  shall  live  among  the  heathen." 

After  the  death  of  Josiah,  his  youngest  son  was  anoint- 
ed king,  who  presently  fell  to  doing  that  which  was  evil 
in  the  sight  of  God  ;  but  Neco,  king  of  Egypt,  remov- 
ed him  after  he  had  reigned  three  months,  and  made 
Eliakim,  his  elder  brother,  king  in  his  room,  changing 
his  name  into  Jehoiakim,  that  thereby  he  might  testify 
to  the  world,  that  he  ascribed  the  victory  by  him  gotten 
against  the  Assyrians,  to  the  Lord  only,  by  whom  he 
professed  he  was  formerly  sent  against  them. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  king's  reign,  Jeremiah,  com- 
manded by  God,  went  and  stood  in  the  court  of  the 
temple,  and  there  exhorted  the  people  to  repentance  ;  and 
when  they  would  not,  he  denounced  the  judgment  of 
God  against  them,  saying,  that  that  house  should  be- 
come as  Shilo,  and  that  city  should  be  cursed  among 
all  the  natioi>s  of  the  earth ;  whereupon,  he  was  appre- 
hended by  the  priests  and  prophets,  and  all  the  people 
then  in  the  court,  and  was  accused  as  a  man  worthy  of 
death  ;  but  was  acquitted  and  set  at  liberty  by  the  public 
judgment  of  the  princes  and  elders. 

At  this  time  also,  Uriah  prophesied  against  Jerusa- 
lem, and  the  land  of  Judah,  agreeable  to  the  sayings  of 
the  prophet  Jeremiah ;  for  which,  the  king  put  him  to 
death  by  the  sword,  and  threw  his  carcass  among  the 
sepulchres  of  the  basest  common  people ;  but  Al;ii- 
kam,  who  had  formerly  been  a  man  of  great  authority 
with  king  Josiah,  appeared  so  much  in  behalf  of  the  pro- 
phet Jeremiah,  that  he  was  not  delivered  over  into  the 
hands  of  the  people  to  be  put  to  death  at  that  time. 

To  these,  might  be  added  the  prophet  Habbakkuk,  to 
whom,  when  he  complained  of  the  stubbornness  of  the 
Jews,  God  made  this  answer.  That  he  would  shortly 
send  the  Chaldeans  into  Judah  ;  and  further  declared  Im 


OF   THE    TRUE   CHURCH.  59 

purpose  concerning  this  matter,  in  these  words,  I  will  do 
a  work  in  your  days  which  you  will  not  believe  when  it 
shall  be  told  unto  you  ;  for,  behold,  I  will  stir  up  the 
Chaldeans,  a  fierce  nation,  and  a  swift,  which  shall  walk 
through  the  breadth  of  the  land  which  is  none  of  theirs, 
as  their  own  inheritance. 

In  the  fourth  year  of  this  king  Jehoiakim,  the  prophet 
Jeremiah  reproved  the  Jews  for  not  hearkening  to  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  'vhich  he  had  spoken  unto  them  from 
time  to  time,  and  for  not  regarding  the  exhortations  of 
the  prophets  which  the  Lord  had  sent  unto  them  ;  and 
then  again  told  them  of  the  coming  of  Nebuchadnezzar 
upon  them,  and  of  their  being  carried  away  captives  to 
Babylon,  and  that  captivity  to  last  seventy  years ;  and 
during  the  seventy  years  captivity,  Daniel  prophesied  of 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  who  should  bring  in  the  law 
of  everlasting  righteousness,  and  put  an  end  to  the  Levit- 
ical  sacrifices. 

Jehoiakim  being  taken  prisoner  by  the  Chaldeans,  was 
thrown  out  without  burial;  that  is,  was  buried  like 
an  ass,  his  carcass  being  drawn  without  the  gates 
of  Jerusalem,  as  was  foretold  by  the  prophet  Jere- 
miah ;  though,  in  reference  to  the  common  course  of 
nature,  he  also  may  be  said  to  have  slept  with  his  fiuhers, 
as  he  is  2  Kings,  24.  6. 

After  him,  came  his  son  Jehoiachin,  who  was  also 
called  Jeconiah,  and  reigned  three  months  and  ten  days 
in  Jerusalem,  who  also  did  evil  in  the  sisrht  of  the  Lord, 
as  his  father  had  done  before  him,  against  whom,  the 
Lord,  by  his  prophet  Jeremiah,  declared  a  most  dread- 
ful decree,  saying,  "  O  earth,  earth,  earth,  hear  the  word 
of  the  Lord  ;"  thus  saith  the  Lord,  ''  Write  y(^  this  man 
childless,  a  man  that  shall  not  prosper  in  his  days,  for 
no  man  of  his  seed  shall  prosper,  sitting  upon  the  throne 
of  David,  and  ruling  any  more  in  Judah  ;"  and  pronoun- 
ced a  woe  to  the  pastors  that  scattered  tlie  sheep,  and 
that  had  not  fed  nor  visited  the  people  ;  and  therefore, 
the  Lord  v/ould  visit  them  for  the  evil  ot  their  doing, 
and  he  would  gather  the  remnant  of  his  flock,  an-l  v/ould 
set   up  shepherds  over  them   that  should  feed  them; 


40  A    LIVING     TESTIMONY 

and  that  would  raise  unto  David  a  righteous  branch,  that 
should  execute  judgment  and  justice  in  the  earth  ;  and 
that  in  his  day,  Judah  shall  be  saved,  and  Israel  shall 
dwell  safely ;  and  this  is  his  name  wherewidi  he  shall 
be  called,  'The  Lord  our  Righteousness."  And  in  the 
sense  of  thi.,,  the  prophet  cried  out,  ''Mine  heart  within 
me  is  broken,  because  of  the  prophets  ;  all  my  bones 
shake  :  I  am  like  a  drunken  man,  and  like  a  man  whom 
wine  hath  overcome,  because  of  the  Lord,  and  because 
of  the  words  of  his  holiiiess." 

And  Isaiah  the  prophet  had  a  true  sight  of  the  coming 
of  the  blessed  Messiah  ;  for  he  said,  "The  spirit  of  the 
Lord  God  is  upon  me,  because  the  Lord  has  anointed 
me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the  meek  ;  lie  hath  sent 
me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted  ;  to  proclaim  liberty 
to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  the  prison  to  them  that 
are  bound  ;  to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  day  of  vengeance  of  our  God ;  to  comfort  all 
that  mourn  ;  to  appoint  unto  them  that  mourn  in  Sion  ; 
to  give  unto  them  beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for 
mourning,  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heavi- 
ness, that  they  might  be  called  trees  of  righteousness,  the 
planting  of  the  Lord,  that  he  might  be  glorified  ;  and 
they  shall  build  the  old  wastes  ;  they  shall  raise  up  the 
former  desolations,  and  the}^  shall  repair  the  Vv'aste  cities, 
the  desolations  of  many  generations." 

And  thus,  the  reader  may  see  the  many  glorious  dis- 
pensations and  manifestations  of  God's  love  unto  man- 
kind, to  the  holy  patriarchs  and  prophets  in  all  genera- 
tions ;  and  now  we  are  come,  according  to  what  the  pro- 
phets foretold,  to  the  day  of  the  appearance  of  that  great 
Saviour  of  the  world,  whose  dispensation  llir  exceedeth 
all  others  in  glory,  being  that  eternal  substance,  which 
ended  all  types,  shadows,  and  figures. 

And  thus,  these  Jews,  who  had  been  the  true  wor- 
shippers, apostatized  and  degenerated  from  their  primi- 
tive .  glory  and  institutions  ;  and  their  worship  became 
merely  outside;  for,  it  is  said,  "they  drew  near  to  God 
with  their  mouths,  and  honoured  him  witii  their  lips,  but 
their  hearts  vrcre  fi\r   from  him."     The  prophets  were 


OF    THE     TRUE   CHURCH.  41 

raised  up,  and  sent  from  the  Lord  to  cry  against  them, 
and  to  foretel  the  desolation  and  destruction  that  were  to 
come  upon  them,  which  accordingly  came  to  pass,  as 
will  be  seen  anon.  And,  in  this  condition,  did  Christ  at 
his  coming,  find  these  ancient  peopje  the  Jews,  to  whom 
God  had  formerly  committed  his  laws  and  commands, 
and  given  his  oracles  ;  but  they  were  wholly  apostatized 
from  them,  as  will  appear  by  their  fruits  in  the  following 
discourse. 

After  the  Jews  had  apostatized,  as  the  prophets  had 
foretold,  and  that  the  Messiah  and  Deliverer  should 
come ;  in  the  fulness  of  time,  Christ  Jesus  the  son  of 
God  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  whom  she  wrapped 
in  swaddling  clothes,  and  laid  in  a  manger,  because  there 
was  no  room  for  him  in  the  inn.  The  birth  of  Christ 
was  revealed,  by  an  angel  of  the  Lord,  to  shepherds, 
keeping  their  flock  by  night  in  the  field ;  and  '*  suddenly 
there  was  with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly 
host  praising  God,  and  saying,  Glory  to  God  in  die 
highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  towards  mt^n."  The 
shepherds  making  haste  to  Bethlehem,  found  Mary  and 
Joseph,  and  the  child  lying  in  a  manger,  and  the}-  pub- 
lished that  which  was  told  them  concerning  the  child, 
and  they  returned  praising  and  glorifying  God  ;  but 
Mary  kept  all  these  things,  and  pondered  them  in  hex: 
heart. 

Jl^'he  child  was  called  Jesus  (signifying  Saviour,)  which 
was  so  declared  by  the  angel,  before  he  was  conceived 
in  the  womb.  The  wise  men  from  the  east,  die  star  be- 
ing their  guide,  coming  to  Herod  at  Jerusalem,  and  there 
being  taught,  that  the  birth-place  of  Christ  was  at  Beth- 
lehem of  Judea,  went  thither  ;  and  entering  into  the 
house  w^hich  was  shewn  them  by  the  star,  which  stood 
over  it,  they  found  the  little  child,  and  Mary  his  moth- 
er, and  falling  down  worshipped  him  ;  and  having  open- 
ed their  treasures,  they  offered  unto  him  gold,  frankin- 
cense and  myrrh.  Afterwards,  being  warned  of  God  in 
a  dream,  that  they  should  not  return  unto  Herod,  they 
departed  into  dicir  own  country  another  way. 


42  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY- 

And  when  the  child  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  Jc 
rusniem,  to  be  px  esfiited  to  the  Lord,  there  came  into  the 
temple  one  Simeon,  a  jusc  and  devout  man,  who  had 
waited  for  the  consolation  of  Israel ;  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  upon  him  ;  and  it  was  revealed  unto  him  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  that  he  should  not  see  death  before  he  had 
seen  the  Lord's  Christ ;  and  ne  came  by  the  spirit  into 
the  temple  ;  and  when  the  parents  brought  the  child,  to 
do  for  him  after  the  custom  of  the  law,  i^e  took  him  up  in 
his  arms,  and  blessed  God,  and  said,  "  Lord,  now  lettest 
thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  according  to  thy  word ; 
for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation,  which  thou  hast 
prepared  before  the  flice  of  all  people,  a  light  to  lighten 
the  Gentiles,  and  the  glory  of  thy  people  Israel."  And 
Joseph  and  his  mother  marvelled  at  those  things  which 
were  si)oken  of  him  ;  and  Simeon  blessed  them,  and  said 
u  :to  Mary  his  mother,  *'  Behold,  this  child  is  set  for  the 
fall  and  rising  again  of  many  in  Israel,  and  for  a  sign 
which  shall  be  spoken  against." 

In  the  same  moment,  came  Anna,  a  prophetess,  the 
daughter  of  Phanuel.  She  also  openly  acknowledged 
the  Lord,  and  spake  of  him  to  all  that  looked  for  re- 
demption in  Jerusalem. 

When  Joseph  and  Mary  had  performed  all  things,  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  the  Lord,  they  returned  into  Gali- 
lee, unto  their  own  city  Nazareth. 

The  angel  of  the  Lord  appearing  unto  Joseph  in  a 
dream,  shewed  him,  that  he  should  flee  into  Egypt, 
that  he  might  provide  for  the  life  of  the  child,  and  escape 
the  devices  of  Herod.  Joseph  being  awakened,  took  the 
young  child  r.nd  his  mother  by  night,  and  departed  into 
Egypt ;  where  lie  remained  until  the  death  of  Herod  ;  who 
thinking  the  young  child  had  been  still  at  Bethlehem, 
th  It  he  might  destroy  him  amongst  the  rest,  killed  all  the 
children  that  vv^ere  in  Bethlehem,  and  in  all  the  coasts 
thereof,  from  two  years  old  and  under,  according  to  the 
time  which  he  had  inquired  of  the  wise  men. 

Herod  being  dead,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared 
iinro  'oseph  in  a  dieam  in  Egypt,  and  commanded,  that 
he  should  return,  with  the  young  child  and  his  mother. 


OF   THE     TRUE   CHURCH.  43 

into  the  land  of  Israel ;  but  when  he  heard  that  Arche- 
laus  did  reign  in  Judea,  in  the  room  of  his  father  Herod, 
h  feared  to  go  thither  ;  and  being  warned  of  God  in  a 
dream,  he  departed  into  the  parts  of  Galilee,  and  there 
dwelt  in  the  city  Nazareth,  from  whence  Jesus  took  the 
name  of  Nazarene,  and  the  Christians  of  Nazarenes. 

In  the  year  of  the  world  4010,  it  being  the  passover, 
Christ,  in  the  tvvelfth  year  of  his  age,  was  brought  by 
Joseph  and  Mary  to  Jerusalem.  His  parents  returning 
home,  he  staid  behind;  they,  not  knowing  where  he 
was,  sought  him  three  days,  and  found  him  in  the  tem- 
ple, sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  doctors,  hearing  them,  and 
asking  them  questions  ;  and  all  that  heard  him  were  as- 
tonished at  his  understanding  and  answers  ;  and  he  went 
down  with  his  parents  to  Njizareth,  and  was  obedient 
unto  them,  and  followed  his  father's  trade  of  a  carpenter. 

In  the  year  of  the  world  4030,  and  in  the  thirtieth  year 
of  Christ,  John  came  forth  in  his  ministry,  crying  with 
a  loud  voice  in  the  wilderness,  ''  prepare  ye  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  make  his  paths  straight ;"  and  opening  the 
acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  or  the  time  of  his  divine 
pleasure,  preach iing  repentance  and  remission  of  sins, 
being  clothed  with  a  garment  of  camel's  hair,  and  a  gir- 
dle of  skin  about  his  loins  ;  and  his  food  was  locusts 
and  wild  honey. 

And  Jesus  being  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  was  led 
by  the  spirit  into  the  desert,  where  he  fasted  forty  days 
and  forty  nights,  and  was  tempted,  but  the  tempter  could 
find  no  place  in  him.  When  John  was  asked  by  the 
sect  of  the  Pharisees,  who  he  was  ?  he  told  them,  he  was 
not  the  Christ,  denying  that  he  was  Elias,  or  that  pro- 
phet ;  but  said,  he  was  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the 
wilderness,  "  make  straight  the  way  of  tr.e  Lord ;"  and 
told  them,  '^  I  baptize  whh  water,  but  there  standeth 
one  amongst  you,  whom  ye  know  not ;  he  it  is  who 
Cometh  after  me,  who  is  preferred  before  me,  whose 
shoe-latchet  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose."  The  next  day, 
John  seeing  Jesus  coming  to  him,  saith,  ''  behold  the 
Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world;  this 
is  he  of  whom  J  spake,  there  cometh  one  after  me,  that 


•M  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

is  preferred  before  me,  and  I  saw  him,  and  testifj^  that 
this  is  the  son  of  God.*' 

Jesus  going  into  Galilee,  commanded  Philip  to  follow 
him  ;  he  finding  Nathaniel  under  a  fig-tree,  brought  him 
to  Jesus,  who  pronounced  him  to  be  truly  an  Israelite, 
in  whom  was  no  guile. 

Jesus  working  miracles,  many  believed  on  him  ;  but 
he  did  not  commit  idmself  unto  them.  Leaving  Jeru- 
salem, wiiere  he  had  been  at  the  passover,  he  went  into 
the  land  of  Judea,  with  his  disciples  ;  where,  after  he 
had  staid  eight  months,  lie  went  into  Galilee  again  ; 
but  he  must  needs  go  through  Samaria,  where  he  brought 
the  Samaritan  woman  off  from  their  worship,  to  the 
worship  of  the  Father,  in  the  spirit  and  truth ;  and  in 
Galilee,  he  worked  many  miracles,  healing  the  sick, 
casting  out  devils,  going  through  all  Galilee,  preaching 
in  their  synagogues,  and  healing  every  disease  ;  and  his 
fame  went  into  all  Syria  ;  and  a  great  multitude  followed 
him  :  and  in  a  certain  city,  he  healed  a  leper,  w^hich, 
though  he  was  forbid,  he  published  ;  and  they  came  to 
him  from  every  place  to  hear  him,  and  to  be  healed,  in- 
somuch, that  he  could  no  more  enter  openly  into  the 
city,  but  was  in  desert  places  and  prayed. 

After  these  things,  was  the  feast  of  the  Jews  ;  and  Je- 
sus went  up  to  Jerusalem  ;  where,  for  healing  a  man  on 
the  Sabbath-day,  that  had  had  an  infirmity  thirty-eight 
vears,  lying  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda,  the  Jews  persecu- 
ted Jesus,  and  sought  to  slay  him,  because  he  had  done 
these  things  on  the  Sabbath-day.  Jesus  told  them,  '*  my 
Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  I  work  :"  wherefore,  the 
Jews  sought  the  more  to  kill  him,  because  he  said,  that 
God  was  his  father  :  Jesus  said,  the  Son  can  do  nothing 
of  himself,  bnt  what  he  seeth  his  Father  do  ;  for  whatso- 
ever he  doeth,  these  also  doth  the  Son  ;  for  the  Father 
loveth  the  son,  and  shew^th  him  all  things  that  himself 
doth,  and  he  will  shew  him  greater  things  than  these, 
that  ye  may  marvel ;  for  the  Father  judgeth  no  man  ;  but 
hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  son,  that  all  men 
should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father: 
he  that  honoureth  not  the  Son,  honoureth  not  the  Father 
that  hath  sent  him. 


OF   THE     TRUE   CHURCH.  45 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  he  went  into 
a  mountain  to  pray,  and  continued  in  prayer  all  night  ; 
an  I  when  it  was  day,  he  chose  twelve,  whom  e  called 
Apostles,  and  he  came  down  with  them,  and  stood  in  the 
plain  ;  and  a  great  multitude  coming  unto  him,  he  went 
up  into  a  mountain  again,  and  there  spake,  first,  to  his  a- 
postles,  and  afterwards,  to  the  people,  exhorting  his  dis- 
ciples to  lowliness,  pronouncing  a  blessing  to  the  poor, 
and  to  them  that  weep  now,  but  a  wo  unto  them  that 
were  rich  and  full,  and  unto  them  that  laughed  now,  for 
they  should  mourn  and  weep ;  and  that  they  should 
love  their  enemies,  and  do  good  to  them  tiiat  hated  them  : 
And  when  he  ended  all  his  sayings,  in  the  audience  of 
the  people,  he  entered  into  Capernaum,  and  healed  the 
Centurion's  servant,  that  lay  sick  ready  to  die ;  and  af- 
terwards he  went  from  city  to  city  preaching ;  and  his 
disciples  were  with  him,  and  certain  women  ministered 
unto  him  i  And  whilst  he  spake  to  the  people,  it 
was  told  him,  that  his  mother  and  brethren  stood  with- 
out, desiring  to  see  him,  and  to  speak  with  him  ;  he  an- 
swered, and  said,  my  mother  and  brethren  are  these 
which  hear  the  word  of  God  and  do  it. 

And  as  Jesus  was  going  to  the  house  of  Jairus  (who 
fell  down  at  Jesus's  feet,  and  besought  him,  that  lie  would 
come  to  his  house  ;>  for  he  had  only  one  daughter,  of  a- 
bout  twelve  years  of  age,  and  she  lay  a  dying)  the  peo- 
ple thronged  him  as  he  went ;  and  a  woman,  having  an 
issue  of  blood  twelve  years,  who  had  spent  all  her  living 
upon  physicians,  and  could  not  be  healed  of  any, came  be- 
hind him,  and  touched  the  border  of  his  garment ;  and 
she  was  healed  ;  and  the  daughter  of  Jairus,  already 
dead,  was  restored  to  life  by  his  word  only  ;  and  he  strait- 
1}'  charged  that  no  man  should  know  it. 

When  he  departed  thence,  two  blind  men  followed 
him,  whose  eyes  he  opened,  straitly  charging,  that  no 
man  should  know  it.  As  they  went  out,  behold,  they 
brought  unto  him  a  dumb  man,  possessed  with  a  devil ; 
and  when  the  devil  was  cast  out,  the  dumb  spake,  and  a 
mul  itude  marvelled,  but  the  Pharisees  blasphemed  ;  and 
he  went  roundabout  their  cities  and    villages,  teacidng 


46  A    LIVII^G    TESTIMONY 

and  healing  all  their  diseases  ;  and  he  was  moved  with- 
compassio]!  towards  the  great  multitude.  When  he  saw 
the  great  harvest  and  the  few  labourers,  he  said  unto  his 
disciples,  that  they  should  pray  the  Lord  that  he  would 
send  forth  labourers  ;  and  he  sent  forth  the  twelve  apos- 
tles to  preach  the  gospel. 

He  said  to  his  disciples,  wo  unto  them  by  whom  of- 
fences come ;  and  he  taught  them,  that  if  thy  brother 
sin  against  thee,  he  is  to  be  forgiven. 

Lazarus  of  Bethany  bt^ing  sick,  his  sisters  sent  to  Je- 
sus, to  tell  him  of  it.  When  he  heard  that  I'.e  was  sick, 
he  tarried  two  days  in  the  place  where  he  vv^as ;  but  af- 
terwards he  said  to  his  disciples,  let  us  go  again  into 
Judea  :  they  said  unto  him,  the  Jews  of  late  sought  to 
stone  thee,  and  goest  thou  thither  again?  Jesus  answer- 
ing, said  unto  them,  Lazarus  sleepeth  (speaking  of  his 
death,  not  of  his  sleep)  let  us  go  to  him,  said  Thomas, 
that  we  may  die  with  him  ;  Jesus  came  nigh  unto  Beth- 
any and  found  that  Lazarus  had  been  buried  four  days 
in  the  grave  ;  Martha  came  to  meet  him  ;  they  discours- 
ed concerning  the  resurrection.  Mary  hearing  of  it, 
came  quickly  to  him  without  the  town,  where  Martha 
met  him,  who  seeing  her  weep,  Jesus  wept  and  came  to 
the  grave,  bidding  them  remove  the  stone,  and  giving 
thanks  to  his  fiither,  called  Lazarus  out  of  his  grave ; 
whereupon  many  believed  on  him,  and  some  going  to 
the  Pharisees,  leliing  what  things  Jesus  had  done,  they 
called  a  council,  where  Caiphas  prophesied  concerning 
Jesus,  and  from  that  day  consulted  togetlier,  that  they 
might  put  him  to  death,  commanding  that  if  any  knew 
where  he  was,  they  should  give  notice,  that  they  might 
take  him  ;  and,  at  another  time,  the  Pharisees  said,  be- 
hold, the  v/hole  world  has  gone  after  him. 

Jesus  travelled  towards  Jerusalem,  and  when  he  came 
nigh,  seeing  the  city,  he  wept  over  it,  foretelling  the  ut- 
ter destruction  thereof ;  and  being  come  to  Jerusalem, 
and  having  spoken  of  the  desolation  and  ruin  of  it,  as  he 
sat  on  the  mount  of  olives,  over  against  the  temple,  his 
disciples  asked  him,  when  these  things  shall  be,  and 
wh^t  shall  be  the  signs  of  tiie  coming  ?  To  whom  he  ait- 


OF    THE    TRUE    CHURCH.  47 

swered  at  large,  and  warned  them  to  watch,  and  to  be 
ready  ;  for  t  ey  knew  not  the  hour  when  ihc  Lord  vvill 
come,  and  taught  the  same  thing  by  the  parable  of  the 
ten  virgms  ;  as  also  by  the  parable  of  the  talents,  deliver^ 
ed  to  the  servants  to  trade  with. 

When  Jesus  had  finished  these  savings,  he  said  to  his 
disciples,  ye  know  that  after  two  days  is  the  passovcr, 
and  the  son  of  man  shall  be  betrayed  to  be  crucified  — 
Then  they  consulted  together,  in  the  palice  of  the  high- 
priest  that  they  might  kill  Jesus,  but  they  said,  not  on 
the  feast-day,  lest  there  be  an  uproar  among  the  people  ; 
then  entered  satan  into  Judas,  who  offered  himself,  and 
covenanted  to  betray  him 

In  the  first  day  of  the  unleavened  bread,  when  the  pas* 
sover  was  slain,  and  in  the  evening,  he  came  with  the 
twelve ;  and  when  they  had  sat  down  and  eaten,  Jesus 
said,  I  have  greatly  desired  to  eat  this  passover  before  I 
suffer  ;  and  he  further  said,  one  of  you  shall  betray  me  ; 
and  they  began  to  be  sorrowful,  and  to  say  unto  him,  one 
by  one,  is  it  1  ?  He  answered,  it  is  he  that  dippeth  his 
hand  with  me  in  the  dish ;  and  to  Judas,  asking,  is  it  I  ? 
He  said,  thou  hast  said. 

Jesus  knew  that  the  hour  was  come,  tKat  he  should 
depart  out  of  this  world  unto  the  father ;  having  loved 
his  own  which  were  in  the  v/orld,  he  loved  them  unto 
the  end  ;  knowing  that  the  father  had  given  all  things 
into  his  hands,  and  that  he  was  come  from  God,  and  went 
to  God.  There  being  a  strife  among  his  disciples  who 
should  be  the  greatest,  he  rose  after  supper,  and  laid  a- 
side  his  garments,  took  a  towel  and  girded  himself ;  af- 
ter that,  he  poured  water  mto  a  bason  and  began  to  wash 
his  disciples'  feet.  Peter  said,  thou  shalt  never  wash  my 
feet.  Jesus  answered  him,  *'  if  I  wash  thee  not,  tliou  hast 
no  part  with  me."  Peter  said,  '*  not  my  feet  only,  but  al- 
so my  hands,  and  my  head."  After  he  had  washed  their 
feet,  and  had  taken  his  garments,  and  had  set  down  again, 
he  said  unto  them,  know  ye  what  I  have  done  to  you. 
You  call  me  master  and  Lord,  and  ye  say  well  ;  for  so  I 
am  :  if  then  your  Lord  and  master  hath  washed  your 
f^et^  you  ought  also  to  wash  one  another's  feet ;  for  I 


48  A    LIVING    TEStlMOKY 

have  given  you  an  example,  that  you  should  do  as  I  have 
done  to  you.  And  speaking  further  to  his  disciples^ 
he  was  troubled  in  spirit,  and  said,  one  of  you  shall  be- 
tray me.  Tjiey  looked  one  upon  another,  doubting 
of  whom  he  spake  :  one  of  the  disciples  whom  Jesus 
loved,  lying  on  Jesus's  breast,  said,  Lord,  who  is  it?  Je- 
sus said,  he  it  is  to  whom  I  s'^all  give  a  sop,  after  I  have 
dipped  it ;  and  he  gave  it  to  Judas,  and  said  to  him,  w)  at 
thou  doest  do  quickly.  After  Judas  had  received  the 
sop,  he  went  immediately  out ;  when  Jesus  said,  *'  now  is 
the  son  of  man  glorified,  and  God  is  glorified  in  ini." 
*'  Little  children,  yet  a  little  w  ile  I  am  with  you ;  ye  s'lall 
seek  me;  and  as  I  said  unto  the  Jews  whither  I  go,  you  can- 
cannot  come,  so  now  I  say  unto  you,  a  new  command- 
ment I  give  unto  you,  that  you  love  one  another,  as  I 
have  loved  you  ;  by  this  shall  all  men  know  t^^.at  y  are 
my  disciples,  if  ye  iiave  love  one  to  another"  :  Peter  said, 
Lord,  whither  goest  tliou?"  Jesus  answered,  "whither  I  go 
thou  canst  not  follow  me  now,  but  tiiou  shalt  follow  me 
afterwards  ;"  Peter  said,  "wliy  cannot  I  follow  thee  now  ?'* 
I  will  lay  down  my  life  for  thy  sake.  *'  Jesus  answered, 
thiC  cock  shall  not  crow  till  ti^ou  hast  denied  me  thrice.'' 

Against  their  sorrow,  conceived  by  them  for  his  death, 
he  comforted  t'lem,  saying,  let  not  your  hearts  be  troub- 
led ;  and,  that  in  lus  father's  house,  were  many  man- 
sions ;  and  that  the  comforter,  the  holy  ghost,  si  ould 
come  and  be  t.eir  teacher  :  And  he  exhorted  t -em  to  a- 
bide  patiently  the  hatred  of  the  world,  which  hated  rum, 
and  that  they  should  not  be  ofiended,  though  persecutions 
attended  t'lem. 

Again,  entering  into  a  garden  with  his  disciples,  unto 
whom  he  said,  '*pray  yethat  ye  enter  not  into  temptation  ; 
sit  here  till  I  go  and  pray  yonder'' ;  and  he  took  Peter  and 
the  two  sons  of  Zebedee,  with  him,  and  said  unto  them, 
tarry  here  and  watch:  "and  having  withdrawn  from  them 
about  a  stone's  cast,  he  kneeled  down  and  prayed,  saying, 
fath.er,  if  thou  be  willing,  remove  this  cup  from  me,  nev- 
ertheless, not  my  will  but  thine  be  done"  ;  and  tiiere  ap- 
peared an  angel  from  heaven  strengthening  him:  T'>en 
returning  and  finding  his  disciples  sleeping,  he  repre- 


OF    THE    TRUE    CHURCH.  49 

bended  and  admonished  them  ;  and  being  in  an  agony,  he 
prayed  more  earnestly  ;  and  iiis  sweat  was  as  it  were  great 
drops  of  blood  ;  and  while  he  was  yet  speaking  to  his 
disciples,  Judas  came  and  betrayed  him  to  the  chief  priests, 
who  took  him ;  and  he  said  unto  them,  this  is  your  hour 
and  power  of  darkness;  and  the  disciples  left  him,  and 
fled  ;  and  they  bound  Jesus,  and  brought  him  first  to 
Aniias,  who  sent  him  to  Caiphas  the  high  priest,  where 
all  the  chief  priests,  elders,  and  scribes  of  the  people  were 
gathered  together  ;  then  Caiphas  asked  him  concerning 
his  disciples,  and  his  doctrine ;  Jesus  answered  him,  I 
spake  openly  to  the  world  ;  ask  them  that  heard  me  ; 
therefore,  one  of  the  officers  struck  him  with  a  staff,  to 
whom  he  answered  ;  if  I  have  well  spoken,  why  smitest 
thou  me  ?  T!ien  all  the  council  sought  false  witness  a- 
gainst  him,  and  found  none  ;  at  last,  two  witnesses  came  ; 
but  their  testimony  agreed  not.  Caiphas  then  said,  an- 
swerest  thou  not  to  what  they  witness  against  thee  ;  but 
Jesus  held  his  peace;  then  he  adjured  him  that  he 
should  tell  whether  he  were  the  Christ,  and  he  answered, 
I  am ;  wherefore,  they  judged  him  guilty  of  death,  for 
this  blasphemy  (as  they  accounted  it.)  Then  t^ey  mock- 
ed him,  and  spat  on  him,  and  cruelly  beat  him  with  buf- 
fets and  staves ;  and  covering  his  face,  they  said  prophe- 
sy who  smote  thee  ;  and  many  other  things  they  re- 
proachfully spoke  against  him. 

l*liey  led  him  bound  unto  Pontius  Pilate  the  governor, 
from  Caiphas  to  the  hall  of  judgment ;  and  they  began 
to  accuse  him,  saying,  we  found  this  man  perverting  the 
nation,  and  forbidding  to  give  tribute  to  Coesar,  saying 
that  himself  is  Christ,  a  king.  And  when  he  was  accused  of 
the  chief  priests  and  elders,  he  answered  nothing.  Then 
said  Pilate  unto  him,  hearest  thou  not  how  many  things 
they  witness  against  thee  ;  but  he  answered  not  a  word, 
so  that  Pilate  marvelled.  Then  said  Pilate,  take  ye  him, 
and  judge  him  according  to  your  law;  but  they  urired, 
it  is  not  lawful  for  us  to  put  any  man  to  death.  Pilate 
then  entered  into  the  judgment- hall  again  and  called  Je^ 
sus,  and  said  unto  him,  art  thou  the  king  of  the  jews? 
Jesus  answered,  sayest  thou  this  of  thyself,  or  did  others 

a 


§0  A    LIVING     TESTIMONY 

tell  it  thee  of  me?  Pilate  answered,  am  I  a  Jew  ?  Thine 
own  nation,  and  t.e  cinef  priests  have  delivered  ihee  unto 
me;  what  hast  thou  done?  Jesus  answered,  my  kingdom 
is  not  of  this  world.  Pilate  tiierefore  said  unto  him,  art 
t'  ou  a  king  then  ?  Jesus  answered,  for  t.iis  cause  came  I 
into  the  world  that  I  miu:ht  bear  witness  unto  the  truth. 
Pilate  said  unto  him,  what  is  truth  ?  And  when  he  had 
said  this,  he  went  out  again  unto  the  Jews,  and  said  unto 
them,  I  find  in  him  no  fault  at  all;  and  t^ey  were  the 
more  fierce,  saying,  he  stirreth  up  the  people,  teaching 
throughout  all  Galilee  to  this  place.  Pilate  therefore 
hearing  of  Galilee,  asked  if  he  were  a  Galilean  ?  And 
when  he  knew  that  he  belonged  to  Herod's  jurisdictions^ 
he  sent  him  to  Herod,  who  was  at  Jerusalem  in  those 
days  ;  and  when  he  saw  Jesus,  he  was  exceedingly  glad  ;i . 
but  being  deceived  in  his  hopes  of  seeing  a  miracle,  and 
not  vouchsafed  any  answer  either  to  him  or  the  chief 
priests  and  scribes,  vehemently  accusing  him  ;  after 
Herod  had  set  Jesus  at  nought  and  mocked  him,  he  sent 
him  back  to  Pilate  arrayed  in  a  gorgeous  robe  ;  and  both 
the  governors  were  made  friends  that  same  day.  And 
Pilate,  when  he  had  called  the  chief  priests,  the  rulers,  and 
the  people,  said  unto  them,  neither  I,  nor  Herod,  finds 
any  fault  in  him,  or  any  thing  worthy  of  death  :  I  will 
therefore  chastise  him,  and  release  him  ;  for  the  go- 
vernor was  of  necessity  every  feast,  as  the  custom  was, 
to  deliver  to  the  people  one  prisoner  whom  they  would  ; 
and  the  multitude  crying  out  aloud,  began  to  desire  that 
he  would  do  unto  them  as  he  had  ever  done.  Pilate 
therefore  calling  them,  said  unto  them,  ye  have  a  cus- 
tom that  I  should  release  unto  you  one  at  the  passoAcr  ; 
will  ve  tVerefore  that  I  release  unto  you  the  kins:  of  the 
Jev/s?  which  will  ye,  either  this,  man  or  Barrabas  ?  For 
he  knew  that  the  chief  priests  had  delivered  him  for  en- 
vy ;  but  they  stirred  up  the  people  that  he  should  rather 
deliver  Barrabas  unto  them.  Now  he  was  a  notable 
thief,  who  lay  bound  with  them  that  made  insurrection  ; 
and  for  insurrection  and  murder  in  the  city,  was  cast  in- 
to prison  ;  and  when  Pilate  had  sat  down  in  the  judg- 
ment seat,  his  wife  sent  unto  him,  saying,  have  nothin^^ 


OF  TSE    TRUE   CHURCH.  5f 

to  do  with'the  just  man  ;  for  I  have  suffered  many  things 
in  my  dream  by  reason  of  him  this  day.  Pilate  there- 
fore spake  unto  tliem  again,  being  willing  to  release  Je- 
sus. Whieh  of  the  twain  will  you  that  I  release  unto 
you  ?  But  they  all  cried  out,  not  him,  but  Barrabas.  Pi- 
late therefore  answering,  said  unto  them,  what  will  you 
that  I  should  do  unto  him  that  ye  call  king  of  the  Jews  ? 
And  tney  all  cried  out  again,  crucify  him.  Pilate  said, 
but  what  evil  hath  he  done  ?  1  find  no  cause  of  death  in 
him.  I  will  therefore  chastise  him,  and  let  him  go  ;  but 
the}'  cried  more  earnestly,  crucify  him,  and  were  \i:vy 
instant  with  loud  voices  desiring  the  same  :  then  Pilate 
took  Jesus  and  scourged  him  ;  and  the  soldiers  platt  d  a 
crown  of  thorns,  and  put  it  on  his  head,  and  clothed  him 
with  purple,  saying,  hail  !  king  of  the  Jews  ;  and  beat 
him  with  staves.  Pilate  therefore  went  forth  again,  and 
said  unto  them,  behold,  I  bring  him  forth  unto  you,  that 
you  may  know  I  find  no  fault  in  him.  Then  Jesus  came 
forth,  wearing  the  crown  of  thorns,  and  the  robe  :  and 
Pilate  said  unto  them,  behold  the  man.  When  the  chief 
priests  and  officers  saw  him,  they  cried  out,  saying,  cru- 
cify  him,  crucify  him  :  Pilate  said,  take  ye  him  and  cru- 
cify him,  for  I  find  no  fault  in  him  ;  the  Jews  said,  he 
ought  to  die,  because  he  made  himself  the  son  of  God. 
When  Pilate  therefore  heard  that  saying,  he  was  the 
more  afraid,  and  went  again  into  the  judgment- hall,  and 
said  to  Jesus,  whence  art  thou  ?  but  Jesus  gave  him  no 
answer.  Then  said  Pilate,  speakest  thou  not  unto  me  ? 
knowest  thou  not  that  I  have  power  to  crucify  thee  ?  Je- 
sus answered,  thou  couldst  have  no  power,  unless  it 
were  given  thee  from  above  ;  and  from  thenceforth  Pi^ 
late  sought  to  release  him,  but  the  Jews  cried  out,  then 
thou  art  not  Caesar's  friend.  When  Pilate  heard  this,  he 
brought  forth  Jesus,  and  sat  inif*6*j\ldgment-seat,  in  the 
place  called  the  pavement,  and*  it  wns  the  preparation  of 
the  passover,  and  about  the  ^ixth  hour.  Then  said  he 
unto  the  Jews,  behold  your  -King  ;  but  they  cried  out, 
away  with  him  ;  away  with  'Aim  ;  crucify  him.  Pilate 
said  unto  them,  shall  I  crucify  ^our  king '?  Then  answer- 
ed the  chief  priests,  we  have  no  king;  but  Cassar,     When 


52  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

Pilate  therefore  saw  that  he  prevailed  nothing  but  that 
rather  a  tumult  was  made,  he  took  water  and  washed  his 
hands  before  the  multitude,  saying,  I  am  innocent  of  the 
blood  of  this  just  person,  see  you  to  it  ;  and  all  the  peo- 
ple answered  and  said,  his  blood  be  upon  us  and  our  chil- 
dren. ,  Then  willing  to  content  the  multitude,  he  releas- 
ed unto  them  Barrabas ;  and  when  he  had  scourged  Je- 
sus, he  delivered  him  over  to  their  will,  that  he  might 
be  crucified. 

And  the  soldiers  of  the  governor,  when  they  had 
led  Jesus  into  the  hall,  caUed  Prsetorium,  called  to- 
gether the  whole  band  ;  and  when  they  had  stripped  him, 
they  put  upon  him  a  scarlet  robe,  and  platted  a  crown  of 
thorns,  and  put  it  on  his  head,  and  a  reed  in  his  right 
hand  ;  and  bowing  the  knee,  mocked  him,  saying,  hail, 
king  of  the  Jews  ;  and  when  they  had  spit  on  him,  they 
took  that  reed,  and  smote  him  on  the  head  ;  and  when 
they  had  mocked  him,  they  took  off  the  purple  from  him 
and  put  his  own  clothes  on  him,  and  led  him  out  to  cru- 
cify  him. 

Then  Judas,  who  had  betrayed  him,  when  he  saw  that 
he  was  condemned,  repented  himself,  and  brought  the 
thirty  pieces  of  silver  to  the  chief  priests,  confessing  his 
sin  unto  them  ;  and  casting  the  silver  pieces  into  the  tem- 
ple, went  and  hanged  himself  ;  and  they  bought  with 
them  the  potters-field,  that  the  prophecy  might  be  ful- 
filled. 

And  Jesus  came  forth  carrying  his  cross  ;  but  as  they 
were  leading  him,  they  found  one  Simon  of  Cyrene,  who 
came  out  of  the  country,  whom  they  took  and  compell- 
ed to  carry  the  cross  after  Jesus  ;  and  there  were  two 
thieves  that  were  led  with  him,  that  they  might  be  cru- 
cified, and  there  followed  a  great  multitude  of  people, 
and  of  women  that  lamented  him,  to  whom  he  turned  and 
foretold  the  lamentable  destruction  of  Jerusalem  :  and 
when  they  were  come  intoithe  place  called  Calvary,  but 
in  the  Hebrew  Golgotha,  tfcy  gave  unto  him  wine  min- 
gled with  myrrh,  and  viniJgar  mingled  with  gall  ;  and 
when  he  had  tasted  it,  fie  would  not  drink  it ;  and 
they  crucified  him  there,  (at  the   third  hour)  and  the 


OF    THE   TRUE   CHURCH.  53 

two  thieves  with  him,  one  on  the  right  hand,  and  the 
the  other  on  the  left ;  and  Jesus  said,  Father,  forgive 
them  ;  for  they  know  not  what  they  do.  And  Pilate 
wrote  a  superscription  in  Hebrew,  Greek  and  Latin,  dwd 
put  in  on  the  cross,  which,  at  the  request  of  tiie  high 
priest,  Pilate  would  not  alter  ;  and  after  they  crucined 
him,  they  parted  his  garments  into  four  parts,  to  every 
soldier  that  was  employed  in  the  execution  a  part,  casting 
lots  ;  and  likewise  upon  his  seamless  coat,  whose  it 
should  be,  that  the  scripture  might  be  fulfilled,  and  they 
sitting  down,  watched  him  there  :  and  the  people  stood 
beholding  him,  but  they  that  passed  by  reviled  him, 
wagging  their  heads,  and  saying,  thou  that  destroyest 
the  temple,  and  buiidest  it  in  three  days,  save  thyself,  if 
thou  be  the  son  of  God,  come  down  from  the  cross  : 
likewise,  also  the  chief  priests  and  rulers,  with  the  peo- 
ple, mocking  and  scoffing,  with  the  scribes  and  eiders, 
said  among  themselves,  he  saved  others,  himself  he  can- 
not save.  If  he  be  the  kmg  of  Israel,  if  that  Christ  the 
chosen  of  God,  let  him  come  down  from  the  cross,  and 
we  will  believe  him:  he  trusted  in  God  ;  let  him  deliver 
him  ;  for  he  said,  I  am  the  son  of  God.  The  soldiers 
also  mocked  him,  and  coming  unto  him,  offered  him  vine- 
gar, saying,  if  thou  be  the  king  of  the  Jews,  save  thyself. 
One  of  the  thieves  also  which  were  crucified  with  him, 
continued  railing  against  him  ;  the  other  being  coriverted, 
rd3uked  him  that  railed,  and  said  unto  Jesus,  Lord,  re- 
member me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom  ;  to 
whom,  Christ  answered,  *'  to  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me 
in  paradise."  And  there  stood  by  his  cross,  the  mother 
of  Jesus,  and  his  mother's. sister  Mary,  the  wife  of  Cleo- 
phas,  and  Mary  Magdalene.  When  therefore  Jesus  saw 
his  mother,  and  the  disciple  whom  he  loved,  standing  ; 
he  said  unto  his  mother,  behold  thy  son,  and  to  the  disci- 
ple, behold  thy  mother  :  And  when  the  sixth  hour  was 
come,  there  was  darkness  in  all  the  land  until  the  ninth 
hour  ;  and  about  the  ninth  hour  Jesus  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  Eli,  Eli,  lama-sabachthani  ;  and  some  that  sood 
by  said,  that  he  called  Elias.  After  this,  when  Jesus 
knew  that  all  things  were  accomplished,   that  die  scrip- 


54  4    tlVlVG    TESTIMONY- 

ture  might  be  fulfilled,  said,  I  thirst.  Now  there  was  sc| 
there  a  vessel  full  of  vinegar,  and  they  filled  a  spunge 
with  vinegar,  and  put  it  upon  a  reed,  and  gave  him  to 
drink,  the  rest  saying,  let  be,  let  us  see  whether  Elias 
will  come  to  save  him,  and  take  him  down  :  but  Jesus 
said,  it  is  finished  ;  and  again  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit,  and  bowing 
his  head,  he  jrave  up  the  ghost.  And  when  the  centuri- 
on- saw  that  he  so  cried  out,  and  gave  up  the  ghost,  he 
said,  truly,  this  man  was  the  son  of  God. 

And,  behold  !  the  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom,  and  the  earth  did  quake,  and 
the  rocks  rent,  and  the  graves  were  opened,  and  many 
bodies  of  the  saints  which  slept  arose,  and  came  out  of 
the  graves  after  his  resurrection,  and  went  into  the  holy^ 
city,  and  appeared  unto  many;  and  the  centurion,  and 
they  that  stood  over  against,  and  those  that  watched  Je- 
sus, when  they  saw  the  earthquake,  and  the  things  that 
were  done,  feared  greatly,  saying,  truly,  this  was  the  son 
of  God.  And  all  the  people  that  came  together  to  that 
«ight,  beholding  the  things  that  were  done,  smote  their 
breasts  and  returned  ;  and  his  acquaintance,  and  the  wo- 
men which  followed  him  from  Galilee,  stood  afar  off,  be- 
holding these  things  ;  among  whom  were  Mary  Mag- 
dalene, and  Mary  the  -motlier  of  James  the  less,  and  the 
mother  of  Joses  and  Salome,  who  also,  when  he  was  in 
Galilee,  followed  him,  and  ministered  unto  him  ;  there 
were  also  many  other  women  that  came  up  to  Jerusalem 
with  him. 

The  Jews,  therefore,  that  the  bodies  should  not  remain 
©n  the  cross  on  the  Sabbath,  because  it  was  the  prepara- 
tion, (for  that  Sabbath  was  an  high  day)  besought  Pilate, 
that  their  legs  .might  be  broken,  and  that  they  might  be 
taken  away.  Tiie  soldiers  therefore  came  and  broke  the. 
legs  of  the  two  thieves,  but  not  of  Jesus,  because  he  was 
already  dead  ;  but  one  of  the  soldiers  with  a  spear  pierc- 
ed his  side,  and  there  came  out  straightway  blood  and 
water ;  and  these  things  were  suffered  to  be  done,  that 
the  scripture  might  be  fulfilled^. 


^•J    THE    TRUE     CHURiH.  SS,, 

And  when  evening  Avas  come,  because  it  was  the 
preparation,  that  is,  the  day  before  the  Sabbath,  came 
Joseph  of  Arimatiiea,  a  rich  man,  and  an  honourable, 
counsellor,  who  also  looked  for  the  kingdom  of  God^,> 
^nd  had  not  consented  to  the  council  and  deed  of  them, 
being  a  disciple,  but  secretly,  for  fear  of  the  Jews,  came 
boldly  unto  Pilate,  and  begged  the  body  of  Jesus.  Pilate 
marvelled  if  he  were  already  dead,  and  calling  the  centu- 
rion, asked  him,  and  when  he  knew  it,  he  gave  the  body 
to  Joseph.  There  came  also  Nicodemus  (who  at  the  first 
eameto  Jesus  by  night)  and  brought  a  mixture  of  myrrh  j 
and  aloes,  a[)out  an  hundred  pounds  weight :  then  took 
they  the  body  of  Jesus,  and  wound  it  in  linen  clothes  with 
the  spices,  as  the  manner  of  the  Jews  is  to  bury  ;  and 
Joseph,  when  he  had  wrapped  him  in  a  clean  linen  cloth, 
laid  it  in  his  own  sepulchre,  which  he  had  hewn  out  of  a 
rock,  wherein  never  man  was  laid,  and  which  was  in  a 
garden,  in  the  place  where  Jesus  was  crucified  :  and  Jo- 
seph rolled  a  great  stone  to  the  door  of  the  sepulchre  ; 
and  Mary  Magdalene,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  Joses, 
which  came  with  him  from  Galilee,  beheld  where  they 
had  laid  him,  and  sat  over  against  the  Sepulchre  ;  and 
they  returned,  and  prepared  spices  and  ointments,  and 
rested  the  Sabbath  day,  according  to  the  commandments. 
The  Pharisees  besought  Pilate,  that  he  would  command 
the  supulchre  to  be  made  sure  until  the  the  third  day, 
shewing  him  a  reason,  which,  when  he  had  yielded  unto, 
they  went  and  made  the  sepulchre  sure,  seahng  the  stone, 
and  setting  a  watch. 

In  the  end  of  the  Sabbath,  when  it  dawned  towards 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  came  Mary  Magdalene  and 
Mary  the  mother  of  James,  and  Salome,  bringing  spico6 
which  they  had  bought,  that  they  might  see  the  sepul. 
chre,  and  anoint  Jesus  ;  and  they  said  among  them- 
selves,  Mho  shall  roll  awa}-  the  stone  from  the  door  for  us? 
coming  to  the  sepulchre,  they  saw  the  stone  \\'as  rolled 
away  ;  for  behold  there  was  a  great  earthcjuake,  and  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  came  down  from  heaven,  and  rolled 
away  the  stone,  and  sat  upon  it ;  and  they  ^vent  in  and 
foujid  not  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  it  caxno  f 


56  A    LIVING     TESTIMONY 

pass,  as  they  were  much  perplexed  thereat,  that  behold 
two  men  came  to  them  in  siihimg  riament,  their  counte- 
nances   were  as   lightning,  and   their  garments  white  as 
snow  (Matthew  and  Mark  speak  but  of  one  angel)  and 
the  keepers  for  fear  did  shake,  and  became  as  dead  men; 
and  when  the  women  were  afraid,  and  bowed  their  faces 
to  the    earth,  the    angel    said  unto  them,   fear  not  ye,  I 
know  ye  seek  Jesus  who   was  crucified ;  why    seek  ye 
the  living  among  the  dead  ?  he  is  not  here,  he  is  risen, 
as  he  said  ;  come  and  see  the   place  where  the  Lord  was 
laid,  and  remember  what  he  said  while  he  was  in  Galilee 
with  you,  saying,  the  son  of  man  must   be  delivered  into 
the  hands  of  sinful  men,  and  be  crucified,  and   the  third 
day  rise  again  ;  but  go  ye  quickly  and  tell  his  disciples,, 
and  Peter,  that  l^e  has  risen  again  from  the  dead,  and  be-'' 
hold  he  goeth  before  you  into  GaHlee,  there  shall  ye  see 
him  ;  behold  I  have  told  you  :  then  the  women  remem- 
bered the  words  of  Jesus,  and  they  departed  quickly  out 
of  the  sepulchre,  with  fear,  and  wonder,  and  great  joy, 
and  ran  that  they  might  tell  his  disciples  ;  but  they  said 
nothing  to  any  man  (as  they  went)  for  they  were  afraid  ; 
and  when  the  women  told  these  things  to  the  eleven,  and 
to  all  the  rest,  their  words  seemed  unto  them  as  idle  tales  ; 
but  Mary  Magdalene  telling  Peter,  and  the  other  disciple 
whom  Jesus  loved,  they  have  taken  away  the  Lord,   and 
we  know  not  where  they  have  laid  him  ;  Peter,  therefore, 
and  that  other  disciple,  went  out  and  came  to  the  sepul-'^ 
chre  ;  but  that  other   disciple  outran  Peter,  and  came 
first  to  the  sepulchre,  and  when  he  stooped  down,  he  saw 
the  linen  clothes  lying,  but  went  not  in  ;  then  came  Peter 
following  him,  and  went  into  the  sepulchre,  and  he  saw 
the  linen  clothes  lying,  and  the  napkin  that  was  about  his 
head,  not  lying  with  the  linen  clothes,  but  wrapped  to- 
gether in  a  place  by  itself ;  then  went  in  that  pther  dis- 
ciple, and  saw,   and  believed  ;  and  Peter  wei/t  unto  his 
own  home,  wondering  at  what  was  done,  for  as  yet,  they 
knew  not  the  scriptures,  that  he  must  rise  again  from  the 
dead  ;  and    the  disciples    went  unto  their  own  home  : 
but    Mary  Magdalene   stood   without  at  the  sepulchre 
weeping,  mid  whilst  she  yet  wept,  she  stooped  down  into 


OF  tHE     TRUE   CHURCH.  B7 

the  sepulchre,  and  saw  two  angels  in  white  sitting,  the 
one  at  the  head.,  and  the  other  at  the  feet,  where  the  body 
of  Jesus  had  lain,  who  said  unto  her,  '^  woman,  why  weep- 
est  thou  ?*'  She  said  unto  them,  **  they  have  taken  away 
my  Lord,  and  I  know  not  wnere  they  have  laid  him  ;'^ 
and  when  she  had  said  thus,  she  turned  herself  back,  and 
saw  Jesus  standing,  but  knew  not  that  it  was  he  ;  and 
Jesus  said  unto  li^r,  "  why  weepest  thou  ?  whom  seekcst 
thou  ?"  She  suppc^sing  him  to  be  the  gardener,  answered 
and  said,  ''  if  thou  hast  borne  him  hence,  tell  me  where 
thou  hast  laid  him,  and  I  will  take  him  away."  Jesus 
said  unto  her,  ''  touch  me  not,  for  1  am  not  yet  ascended 
to  my  Father  ;  but  go  to  my  brethren,  and  say  unto 
them,  I  ascend  unto  my  Father,  and  your  Father  ;  and  to 
my  God  and  your  God."  And  she  came  and  told  bis 
disciples,  and  those  that  had  been  with  him,  as  they 
were  weeping  and  mourning,  that  she  had  seen  the  Lord, 
and  that  he  had  said  these  things  unto  her  ;  but  they, 
when  they  heard  that  he  was  alive,  and  had  beeu  seen  of 
her,  believed  not :  and  as  the  women  went  from  the 
sepulchre,  that  they  might  tell  his  disciples,  behold,  Jesus 
met  them,  and  spake  unto  them,  saying,  be  not  afraid  ; 
go  ye  and  tell  my  brethren,  that  I  go  into  Galilee,  there 
shall  they  see  me. 

Now,  when  they  were  going,  behold,  some  of  the  watch 
came  into  the  city,  and  shewed  unto  the  high  priests  all 
things  that  were  done  ;  and  when  they  were  assembled 
with  the  elders,  they  took  counsel  that  they  should  give 
large  sums  of  money  to  the  soldiers,  that  they  should  say, 
that  his  disciples  came  by  night,  and  stole  him  away 
whilst  they  slept ;  and  if  this  comes  to  the  governor's  ears, 
we  will  persuade  him,  and  secure  you  ;  so  they  took  their 
money,  and  did  as  they  were  taught  ;  and  this  saying  is 
commonly  reported  among  the  Jews  to  this  day. 

And  behold,  two  of  them  went  into  the  country,  that 
same  day,  to  a  village  sixty  furlongs  from  Jerusalem, 
called  Emmaus  ;  and  as  they  journeyed,  Jesus  went  a- 
long  with  them,  they  telling  uhat  things  were  done  in 
those  days,  concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  how  he  was 
crucified,   and  that  he  rose  again  ;  and  Jesus  shewing 

T 


58  A    LIVING     TESTIMONY 

them  out  of  the  scriptures,  that  it  behoved  Christ  to  suf- 
fer, and  to  enter  into  his  glory.  And  in  the  village,  when 
he  had  taken  bread,  and  given  thanks,  and  broken  it, 
and  given  it  unto  them,  he  was  known  unto  them,  their 
eyes  being  opened.  Although  he  appeared  in  another 
form,  he  vanished  out  of  their  i sight.  And  they  rose  up 
that  same  hour,  and  returned  to  Jerusalem  to  the  eleven, 
and  those  that  were  with  them,  who  told  them,  the  Lord 
is  risen  indeed,  and  hath  appeared  unto  Simon  :  then 
they  told  them  what  things  were  done  in  the  way,  and 
how  he  was  known  of  them  in  the  breaking  of  bread  ; 
but  neither  believed  they  them.  But  whilst  they  yet 
spake,  whilst  it  was  evening,  in  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
the  door  being  shut,  where  the  disciples  were  gathered 
together,  for  fear  of  the  Jews,  came  Jesus  himself,  and 
stood  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  said  unto  them,  peace 
be  unto  you ;  but  they  were  terrified  and  afirighted, 
supposing  they  had  seen  a  spirit ;  but  he  upbraided  them 
with  their  unbelief  and  hardness  of  heart,  because  they 
believed  not  them  that  had  seen  him  since  he  was  risen. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  ''  why  are  ye  troubled  ?  see  my 
hands  and  my  feet  ;  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones;" 
and  he  shewed  them  his  hands,  and  his  feet,  and  his  side; 
and  when  they  believeli  not  for  joy,  and  wondered,  he 
said  unto  them,  have  ye  here  any  meat  ?  and  he  ate  a 
piece  of  broiled  fish,  and  an  honey- comb  ;  and  the  dis- 
ciples rejoiced  that  they  had  seen  the  Lord  :  and  he  said 
unto  them,  "  these  are  the  words  that  I  spake  unto  you, 
that  all  things  must  be  fulfilled  that  were  written  in 
the  lavv  of  Moses,  and  in  the  Prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms 
of  me."  Then  opened  he  their  understandings,  that 
they  might  understand  the  scriptures,  and  said  unto  them, 
**  thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  itbehoveth  Christ  to  suffer, 
and  to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day,  and  that  repen- 
tance and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  his 
name  among  all  nations,  and  ye  are  witnesses  of  these 
things  ;  and  behold  I  send  the  promise  of  my  Father  a- 
mong  you,  but  tarry  ye  at  Jerusalem  till  ye  be  endued 
with  power  from  on  high.  He  said  unto  them  again, 
peace  be  unto  you,  as  my  Father  sent  me,  so  send  I  you^ 


OF    THE     TRUE    CHURCH.  S$ 

go  ye  into  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature  :  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be 
saved,  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned  ;  and 
these  signs  shall  follow  them  that  believe  :  In  my  name 
they  shall  cast  out  devils,  and  they  shall  speak  with  new 
tongues;  they  shall  take  up  serpents,  and  if  they  drink 
any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them  ;  they  shall  lay 
their  hands  on  the  sick,  and  they  shall  recover."  And 
when  he  had  said  these  things,  he  breathed  on  them, 
and  said  unto  them,  "receive  the  Holy  Ghost;  whose 
sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto  them,  and  whose 
sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained."  (And  thus  Jesus  ap-. 
peared  five  times  in  the  very  first  day  of  his  resurrec- 
tion;) but  Thomas,  who  is  called  Dydimus,  one  of  the 
twelve,  was  not  with  them  when  Jesus  came  ;  and  the 
rest  of  the  disciples  tellinghim,  "  wehave  seen'^the  Lord;" 
he  very  confidently  professed  he  would  not  believe  it. 
About  eight  days  after,  Thomas  being  then  together 
with  the  rest,  Jesus  came,  the  doors  being  shut,  and 
stood  in  the  midst,  and  said  unto  them,  "  peace  be  unto 
you,"  and  abundantly  satisfied  Thomas's  unbelief. 

Then  the  eleven  disciples  went  into  Galilee,  unto  the 
mountain  that  he  had  appointed  them ;  and  when  they 
saw  him,  they  worshipped  him,  but  some  doubted  :  And 
when  Jesus  came  imto  them,  he  said,  '*  all  power  is  giv^ 
en  unto  me,  both  in  heaven  and  earth;  go,  therefore, 
and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them,  &c.  And  I  am 
with  vou  to  the  end  of  the  world."  After  that,  Jesus 
was  seen  of  above  five  hundred  brethren  at  once  ;  after 
that,  by  James.     1  Cor.  xv.  6,  7. 

Afterwards,  Jesus  shewed  himself  to  his  disciples  a- 
gain  at  the  sea  of  Tiberius,  or  at  least  to  seven  of  them, 
as  they  were  fishing,  after  they  had  fished  all  night,  and 
caught  nothing ;  in  the  morning,  Jesus,  unknown  to 
them,  stood  upon  the  shore,  and  bade  them  cast  their 
net  on  the  right  side  of  the  sliip,  where  they  took  a  great 
number  of  fish. 

Last  of  all,  he  appeared  to  his  disciples  in  Jerusalem, 
and  led  them  out  as  far  as  Bethany,  and  he  lifted  up  his 


60  A    tlVING    TESTIMONY, 

hands  and  blessed  them  ;  and  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  bless- 
ed them,  he  was  parted  from  them,  and  carried  up  into 
heaven. 

Hitherto  reacheth  the  history  of  the  four  evangelists, 
declaring  the  sufferings  of  Christ ;  and  now  I  shall  give 
the  reader  a  short  account  of  what  Josephus,  the  Jewish 
historian,  in  his  eighteenth  book  of  Antiquity,  writeth  of 
John  the  Baptist  and  Christ.  Concerning  the  Baptist, 
Cap.  V.  he  saith,  Herod  the  tetrarch  kiikd  John,  sir- 
named  the  Baptist,  a  most  excellent  man,  who  stir- 
ed  up  the  Jews  to  the  study  of  virtues,  especially  of 
piety  and  justice,  and  also  to  the  washing  of  baptism, 
which  he  said  then  would  not  be  acceptable  to  God,  if 
abstaining  from  some  sins  only  ;  but  having  their 
minds  first  purged  through  righteousness,  they  also 
added  cleanness  of  body  And  whereas  there  was  great 
resort  unto  him,  the  common  people  being  greedy  of 
such  doctrine,  Herod  fearing  lest  the  great  authority  of 
the  man  should  raise  some  rebellion,  because  they 
seemed  as  though  they  would  decline  nothing  to  which 
he  advised  them,  thought  it  safer  to  take  him  out  of  the 
way,  before  there  was  any  alteration  in  tl^e  state,  tl-an  to 
repent  too  late,  when  the  state  was  orce  embroiled  : 
wherefore,  he  commanded  him  to  be  sent  prisoner  to  Ma^ 
charas,  and  then  to  be  put  to  death. 

Concerning  Christ,  he  saith  thus.  Cap.  xlv.  In  the 
same  time,  there  was  a  v/ise  man,  (named  Jesus)  if  we 
may  call  him  a  man  ;  he  was  a  worker  of  miracles,  and  a 
teacher  of  them  that  willingly  receive  tlie  truth  ;  he  had 
many,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  were  his  followers, 
d.nd  was  believed  to  be  the  Christ :  and  when  Pilate  had 
crucified  him,  tiirough  the  envy  of  our  rulers,  neverthe- 
less those  that  loved  him,  continued  constant  in  their  af- 
fections ;  for  he  appeared  to  them  alive  the  third  day  ; 
the  prophets  in  tneir  prophecies  foretelling  both  these, 
and  many  other  wonderful  things  concerning  him,  and 
the  christians  (from  him  so. called)  continue  to  this  very 

day. 

After  the  Apostles  had  seen  Christ,  and  had  worship^ 
ped  him,  after  his  resurrection,  they  returned  tQ  Jerusa- 


or    THE    TRUE    CHURCH.  61 

lem  with  great  joy  from  tlie  mount  of  Olives,  which  is 
^rom  tiience  a  Sabbaih  d-ay's  journey  ;  and  in  Jerusa- 
lem they  abode  in  an  upper  room,  and  continued  with 
one  accord  in  pra}  er,  with  t'^e  women,  and  Marv  his 
motlier,  and  his  brethren  ;  and  ti  ey  were  filled  wiiii  the 
holy  ghost,  and  began  to  speak  wiih  tongues,  as  the 
spirit  gave  them  utterance  ;  and  many  received  the  trutli, 
and  contmued  stedfastiy  in  the  Apostles'  doctrine  and 
fellowship;  and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house,  did 
r-at  their  meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of^eart, 
praising  God,  and  having  favour  witij  all  the  people  ; 
and  the  Lord  daily  added  to  the  church  such  as  shoi;id 
be  saved  ;  and  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were 
of  one  heart,  and  one  soul;  and  there  was  none  aniong  \\v.  m 
that  lacked  ;  for  as  many  as  l?ad  possessions  of  lancib  or 
houses,  sold  them,  and  brought  the  prices,  and  laid  them 
down  at  the  apostles'  feet,  to  be  distributed  for  tiie  use 
of  the  poor ;  in  which  business,  Barnabas,  that  is,  the 
son  of  Consolation,  shewed  the  first  example. 

By  the  hands  of  tne  apostles,  were  many  miracles 
done  among  the  people,  and  many  believed^  and  were 
added  to  the  Lord. 

But  the  high  prie^  and  sadducees  that  were  with  him, 
moved  with  envy,  cast  the  apostles  into  prison  ;  from 
v/hence,  the  night  following,  being  freed  by  an  angel, 
they  were  commanded  to  teach  the  people  boldly,  and 
without  fear ;  and  being  brought  to  the  council  by 
the  advice  of  Gamaliel  a  Pharisee,  a  doctor  of  law,  in 
much  esteem  among  the  people,  they  were  delivered  from 
death,  (after  they  had  been  scourged)  and  let  go ;  and 
they  went  from  the  council  rejoicing  that  they  were 
counted  worthy  to  sufier  for  the  name  of  Jesus  ;  and  they 
taught  daily  in  the  temple  ;  and  t!  e  word  of  the  Lord  in- 
creased ;  and  the  number  of  disciples  niultiplied. 

Stej)hen  did  many  wonders  and  miracles  among  the 
people,  and  stoutly  defended  the  cause  of  Christ  against 
the  Jews,  of  the  synagogue  of  the  Libertines,  Cyrenians, 
and  Alexandrians,  and  of  them  of  Cilicia,  and  of  Asia, 
disputing  with  them  ;  but  when  they  could  not  resist 
the  wisdoixji  and  spirit  by  which  he  spake,  the}  turned  to 


62  A    LIVING     TESTIMONY 

falsely  accusing  him,  and  caught  him,  and  broiiglit  him 
before  the  comicil,  and  set  up  false  witnesses,  who  should 
avouch,  that  they  heard  him  speak  blasphemous  words 
against  the  tem.ple  and  the  law\ 

Stephen,  before  Annas  the  high  priest  and  council, 
shewed  that  the  true  worship  of  God  was  observed  by 
Abraham  and  his  posterity,  before  the  temple  was  built 
by  Solomon  ;  yea,  before  Moses  was  born,  and  that  Mo- 
ses gives  testimony  of  Christ,  and  that  the  outward  cere- 
monies that  were  given  to  their  fathers,  were  to  endure 
but  for  a  time  :  then  he  sharply  reprehended  the  Jews, 
because  they  always  resisted  the  holy  ghost,  and  had 
wickedly  put  Christ  to  death,  who,  the  prophets  had 
foretold,  should  come  into  the  world.  See  the  death  of 
Stephen,  at  large,  in  the  testimony  of  the  Martyrs. 

Afrer  the  death  of  Stephen,  there  arose  a  great  perse- 
cution against  the  whole  church  that  was  at  Jerusalem  ; 
in  which,  Saul,  exceedingly  raging,  made  havock  of  the 
dhurch  ;  for  having  received  authority  from  the  chief 
priests,  he  not  only,  when  the  saints  w^ere  put  to  death, 
gave  his  voice  against  them,  but  also  he  himself,  en- 
tering into  every  house,  and  taking  from  thence  both 
men  and  w^omen,  bound  them,  and  put  them  in  prison, 
and  some  were  compelled,  by  denying  Christ,  to  blas- 
pheme. 

This  persecution  dispersed  the  church  into  divers 
countries,  but  with  great  advantage  to  the  church  ;  for 
some  that  were  dispersed  into  the  regions  of  Judea  and 
Samaria,  preached  the  gospel  wheresoever  they  came  ; 
others  went  to  Damascus,  amongst  whom  was  Ananias, 
a  devout  man  according  to  the  law,  and  one  who  had  a 
good  report  anion p;  all  the  Jews  who  dwelt  there  ;  others 
travelled  as  far  as  P|ienice,  Cyprus,  and  Antioch,  preach- 
ing the  word  of  God  to  those  that  were  dispersed  among 
the  Gentiles.  Amongst  them  that  went  to  Samaria,  was 
Philip,  who  preached  Christ  there.  When  the  aopstles,  at 
Jerusalem  had  heard  that  Samaria  had  received  the  Avord 
of  the  Lord,  they  sent  unto  them  Peter  and  John,  upon 
whose  praying  for  them,  and  laying  their  hands  on  them, 
they  received  the  holy  ghost,  and,    Simon  Magus  (who 


OF    THE     TRUE    CHURCH.  63 

had  a  long  lime  bewitched  the  people  of  Sani-iria  with  his 
sorceries,  they  giving  heed  to  him,  from  the  least  to  the 
greatest,  saying,  he  was  the  great  power  of  God)  see- 
ing the  great  signs  and  wonders  that  were  done  by  the 
apostles,  offered  them  money,  that  he  also  might  receive 
the  gift  of  conferring  the  Holy  Ghost;  whose  mad  impiety, 
Peter  sharply  rebuking,  warned  him  to  repent  of  his  wick- 
edness, and  to  ask  pardon  of  God  ;  and  desired  the  apos- 
tles that  they  would  pray  for  him  to  the  Lord.  The  a- 
postles  having  cleared  themselves  in  these  parts,  they  re- 
turned to  Jerusalem,  preaching  the  gospel  in  the  villages 
of  Samaria  as  they  w^ent. 

Saul,  yet  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter  a«* 
gainst  the  disciples  of  the  Lord,  obtained  of  the  high 
priest  Annas,  and  the  council,  letters  to  the  synagogues 
of  Damascus,  that  if  he  found  any  that  were  christians, 
he  should  bring  them  bound  to  Jerusalem,  that  they 
might  be  punished  ;  and  as  he  came  nigh  to  Damascus 
about  noon,  suddenly  there  shone  from  Heaven  a  great 
light,  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  round  about  him, 
and  them  that  journeyed  with  him  :  and  when  they  were 
fallen  to  the  earth,  he  heard  a  voice  speaking  to  him  in 
the  Hebrew^  tongue,  "  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou 
me  ?  'Tis  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  pricks."  And 
w^hen  he  had  said,  "  who  art  thou.  Lord"  ?  It  was  answer- 
ed him,  "  I  am  Jesus,  whom  thou  persecutest  ;"  but 
rise,  and  stand  upon  thy  feet,  I  have  appeared  unto 
thee  for  this  purpose,  to  make  thee  a  minister  and  a  wit- 
ness, both  of  these  things  that  thou  hast  seen,  and  those 
things  in  which  I  will  appear  unto  thee,  delivering  thee 
from  the  people,  and  from  the  Gentiles,  unto  whom  now 
I  send  thee,  that  thou  mayst  open  their  eyes,  and  turn 
them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  sa- 
tan  unto  God,  that  they  may  receive  remission  of  sins, 
and  an  inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified,  by  faith 
that  is  in  me.  And  when  Saul,  full  of  fear  and  tremb- 
ling, asked  further,  ''  Lord,  what  w^ilt  thou  have  me 
to  do"  ?  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  **  arise,  and  go  into 
the  city,  and  it  shall  be  told  thee  what  thou  must  do: 
But  the  men  that  journeyed  v/ith  Saul  were  so  amazed, 


64  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

that  they  were  speechless,  seeing  indeed  a  light,  and 
hearing  the  sound  of  words,  but  neither  seeing  Christ 
which  spake,  nor  understanding  any  thing  which  he 
spake  :  Saul  arose  from  the  earth,  amd  being  blinded 
with  the  glory  of  the  light,  being  led  by  the  hand,  he 
came  to  Damascus,  and  he  was  three  days  without  sight, 
and  did  neither  eat  nor  drink.  Now  there  was  a  certain 
disciple,  named  Ananias,  to  whom  the  Lord  spake  in  a 
vision, "  arise  and  go  into  the  street  which  is  called  straight, 
and  inquire  in  the  house  of  Judas,  for  one  called  Saul  of 
Tarsus  ;  for,  behold,  he  prayeth  ;'^  and  Saul  then  saw  in  a 
vision,  Ananias  entering,  and  laying  his  hand  on  him,  that 
he  might  receive  his  sight,  but  Ananias  answered,  "  Lord, 
I  have  heard  by  many  of  this  man,  how  much  evil  he  hath 
done  to  thy  saints  at  Jerusalem  ;"  yea,  in  this  place,  he  hath 
authority,  from  the  chief  priests,  to  bind  all  that  call  upon 
thy  name  :  and  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  "■  go  thy  way,  for 
he  is  a  chosen  vessel  unto  me,  to  bear  my  name,  be- 
fore the  Gentiles,  and  kings,  and  the  children  of  Israel  ; 
for  I  will  shew  him  how  great  things  he  must  sufier  for 
my  name's  sake." 

And  Ananias  went,  and  entered  into  the  house  ;  and 
laying  his  hands  on  him,  said,  *'  brother  Saul,  the  Lord 
even  Jesus,  that  appeared  unto  thee  in  the  way  as  thou 
camest,  hath  sent  me,  that  thou  might  receive  thy  sight, 
and  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  and  immediately 
there  fell  from  his  eyes  as  it  had  been  scales,  and  he  re- 
ceived sight  forthwith."  And  Ananias  said,  the  God  of 
our  fathers  hath  chosen  thee,  that  thou  shouldst  know  his 
will,  and  see  that  just  one,  and  shouldst  hear  the  voice 
from  his  mouth  ;  for  thou  shalt  be  a  witness  before  all 
men  of  those  things  that  thou  hast  heard  and  seen  :  and 
now,  why  tarriest  thou  here  ?  arise,  and  be  baptized,  and 
wash  away  thy  sins,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  :  and 
Saul  arose  and  was  baptized,  and  when  he  had  received 
meat,  he  was  strengthened. 

What  was  revealed  to  Saul  at  Damascus  that  he 
should  do,  Luke  shews  not  in  the  Acts  ,  but  out  of  those 
things  which  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  he  saith  hap- 
pened unto  him,  immediately  after  his  conversion  ;  it 


OF    THE     TRUE    CHURCH.  65 

appears  among  other  things,  it  was  commanded  him,  that 
he  should  not  confer  with  flesh  and  blood,  nor  return  to 
Jerusalem  to  them  th:it  were  Apostles  before  him,  but 
that  he  should  go  for  some  time  into  Arabia,  or  places 
near  Damascus,  where  he  should  receive  the  knowledge 
of  the  gospel,  not  being  taught  of  men,  but  by  the  revela- 
tion of  Jesus  Clirist. 

Saul  then  returned  to  Damascus,  and  tarried  there  with 
the  disciples  a  few  days,  and  straightway,  in  the  syna  • 
gogue,  he  preached,  that  Christ  is  the  son  of  God  ;  and 
t!iey  were  all  amazed  who  heard  these  things,  and  said, 
*'  is  not  this  he,  that  destroyed  at  Jerusalem  those  that 
called  on  this  name  ?  And  came  hither  for  that  intent, 
that  he  might  bring  them  bound  unto  the  chief  priests  ;*' 
and  Saul  increased  the  more  in  strength,  and  confounded 
the  Je^vs  that  dwelt  at  Damascus,  teaching  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ  ;  for  to  the  Jews  that  dwelt  at  Damascus,  was 
the  gospel  first  preuched  bv  him. 

Tiberius  being  certified,  by  Pilate  out  of  Palestme, 
concerning  the  affairs  of  Christ,  he  proposed  to  the  sen- 
ate, that  Cnrist  migut  be  reckoned  among  the  Gods, 
which  t'»e  senate  opposing,  and  he  remaining  in  Lis  opin- 
ion, threatmed,  that  it  should  be  dangerous  for  any  to 
accuse  a  christian,  as  Tertullian  relates,  [in  Apologetic. 
[Chap.  5,  and  21,]  and  others  that  follow  him, as  Eusebius 
in  Chronic,  and  Histor.  Eccles.  Lib.  2.  2  ]  andGildas, 
iiiv  an  epistle  of  the  destruction  of  Britain,  which  being 
granted,  we  may  lawfully  say,  that  the  first  persecution, 
aft  r  the  m.urder  of  Stephen,  that  arose  in  Judea,  ceased 
partly  by  the  conversion  of  Saul,  who  greatly  promoted 
it,  and  partly  through  the  fear  of  Tiberius. 

When  Saul  had  preached  the  gospel  a  long  time  at 
Damascus,  the  Jews  took  counsel  to  kill  him,  and  watch- 
ing the  gates  of  the  city  day  and  night,  that  tliey  might 
take  him  :  but,  being  let  down  by  a  rope  by  night  in  a 
basket,  he  escaped  from  them. 

The  first  three  years  after  his  conversion  being  finish- 
ed, Saul  returned  to  Jerusalem  to  see  Peter  ;  and  abode 
Aviiu  him  fifteen  days:  and  he  then  assaying  to  join  him- 
self to  the  disciples,  they  all  were  afraid  of  him,  not 

K 


66  A    LIVING    TESTIMON.r 

believing  him  to  be  a  disciple  ;  but  Barnabas  took  him, 
and  brought  him  to  the  apostles  Peter  and  James  the 
brother  of  the  Lord.  He  declared  unto  them,  how  he 
had  teen  the  Lord  in  the  way,  and  that  he  had  spoken  to 
him,  and  how  he  had  preached  boldly  at  Damascus  in  the 
name  of  Jesus. 

Saul  also  spake  boldly  in  the  name  of  Jesus  at  Jerusa- 
lem, but  the  Jews  went  about  to  kill  him.  Saul,  being 
in  the  temple  praying,  was  in  a  trance,  and  saw  the  Lord 
speaking  unto  him,  saying,  "  make  haste,  and  get  thee 
quickly  out  of  Jerusalem,  for  they  will  not  receive  testi- 
mony of  me  ;"  to  whom  he  answered,^ ''  Lord  they  know 
that  I  imprisoned,  and  beat  in  every  synagogue,  those 
that  believed  on  thee,  and  when  the  blood  of  thy  mar- 
tyr Stephen  was  shed,  I  also  was  standing  by,  and  kept 
the  garments  ol  them  that  killed  hi  it  :'  and  the  Lord  said 
unto  him,  *'  go,  and  I  will  send  thee  to  tlie  Gentiles." 

The  brethren  at  Jerusalem  brought  him  to  Cassarea, 
and  sent  him  into  his  own  country  of  Tarsus,  and  he 
came  into  the  countries  of  Syria  and  Cilicia.  being  as 
yet  unknown  by  face  to  the  churches  of  Judea  ;  but  they 
heard  that  he  preached  the  faith  which  once  he  destroy- 
ed, and  they  glorified  God  in  him  ;  and  tl  e  churches  had 
rest  through  all  Judea,  Galilee,  and  Samaria,  and  were 
edified  ;  and  walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  com- 
fort of  the  holy  ghost,  they  multiplied. 

About  this  time,  king  Herod  troul^led  the  church,  lay- 
ing hands  upon  some,  for  contradicting  the  institutions 
and  rites  of  the  country,  of  which  he  was  a  most  relig- 
ious observer,  as  Josephus,  Lib.  xix.  Chap.  ult.  relates. 

He  slew  James,  the  brother  of  John,  with  the  sword  ; 
and  seeing  that  the  death  of  James  pleased  tlie  people,  he 
cast  Peter  into  prison  in  the  days  of  Azincus,  delivering 
him  to  four  quarternions.  tl.at  is,  sixteen  soldiers  to 
guard  him,  intending  after  t:  e  passover  to  bring  him  out 
to  the  people,  but  there  were  pra}  ers  made  daily  in  the 
church  for  him ;  and  an  angel  of  ti^e  Lord  delivered  him 
miraculously  in  the  niglit ;  and  he  went  to  the  house  of 
Mary,  the  mother  of  John  Marcus,  \\diere  many  were 
congregated,  at  prayer,  and  telling  them  that  the}^  might 


OF    THE    TRUE    CHURCH.  67 

certify  James  the  son  of  Alpheus,  and  brother  of  our 
Lord,  and  t.;e  rest,  of  the  manner  of  his  deliverance  ; 
from  whence  he  went  into  anotuer  place. 

Herod,  being  fi  ustrat-^d  of  his  hope,  in  his  rage  com- 
manded the  innocent  keepers  to  be  dragged  to  execution; 
and  he  going  down  to  Ca^sarea,  staid  there  ;  and  was 
prejudiced  in  his  mind  against  the  Syrians  aiid  Sidoni- 
ans,  whose  land  being  not  sufficient  to  maintain  tiicni 
(especially  in  that  year  of  scarcity)  they  were  forced  to 
seek  for  themselves  sustenance  from  Galilee,  and  other 
places  under  Herod's  jurisdiction  :  they  came  therefore 
unanimously  to  him  by  the  mediation  of  Blastus,  the 
king's  chamberlain,  whom  they  had  made  their  friend, 
desiring  peace  of  him  ;  a  day  being  appointed,  Herod  in 
his  royal  apparel,  and  sitting  before  the  tribunal,  made  a 
speech  to  them  ;  the  people  with  acclamations  shouting 
out,  ''  'tis  the  voice  of  a  God,  and  not  a  man  ;"  but  pre- 
sently, the  angel  of  the  Lord  smote  him,  because  he  did 
not  give  the  glory  to  God;  and  being  eaten  of  worms,  he 
gave  up  the  ghost. 

The  very  sume  history  Josephus  exemplifies,  say- 
ing, ''  he  iiad  now  finisiied  the  third  year  of  his  reign 
when  he  came  to  Cajsarea,  which  was  formerly  called 
Straton's  tower,  where  he  solemnized  some  yearly 
plays  for  Csesar's  health  ;  to  which  festivity,  a  great 
multitude  of  noblemen  and  youngsters  came  togeth- 
er*-  out  of  the  province.  On  the  second  day  of  this  ce- 
lebrity, he  went  all  attired  with  his  princely  robes, 
richly  and  curiously  wrought  wuh  silver,  which,  by  the 
reflection  of  the  rising  sun,  yielded  an  ani^elical  or 
extraordinary  lustre,  and  struck  reverence  into  the  spec- 
tators ;  and  presently  some  wicked  parasites,  with  accla- 
mations from  a  far  off,  saluted  him  God,  desiring  him  to 
be  propitious  to  them  ;  for  that  hitherto  they  had  only 
honoured  him  as  a  man,  but  no\v  they  saw  there  was 
something  more  in  him  than  liuman  :  this  impious  adula- 
tion he  neither  refused  nor  repelled,  and  was  suddenly 
struck  to  the  very  hea,rt  ;  afterwards,  his  belly  began  to 
torment  him  more  and  more  grievously,  wherefore,  turn- 
ing to  his  friends,  he  said,  **  behold,  I,  who,  by  your  ap- 


68  A    LIVING     TESTIMONY 

pcllation,  am  a  God,  am  commanded  out  of  this  life,  my 
certain  fate,  giving  tl^e  lie  to  your  flattery  ;  and  I,  \vhom 
you  saluted  immortal,  am  forced  to  death ;  but  I  must 
endure  the  pleasures  of  tLe  heavens."  Having  spoken 
these  things,  his  pain  grew  worse  and  worse,  and  pre- 
sently^ these  tilings  being  divulged  about  the  country, 
the  rumour  went,  that  he  was  dying,  and  in  the  end  his 
pain  lasted  in  great  extremity,  and  without  intermission 
for  five  days  space  ;"  he  ti  en  ended  his  hfe,  Joseph.  Lib. 
xix.  Chap.  ult. 

About  t  is  time,  Saul  is  always  found  named  by  his 
new  name  Paul.  Paul  and  Barnabas  coming  to  Ariti- 
och,  and  entering  into  the  synagogues,  almost  the  Vv^;  ole 
city  came  to  1  ear  the  word  of  God  ;  but  the  Jews,  seeing 
the  multitude  were  filled  with  envy,  and  contradicted 
what  Paul  spoke,  with  whose  blasphemies  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas being  grievously  offended,  they  left  the  Jews,  and 
preached  only  to  the  Gentiles,  who  with  joy  emijraced 
the  gospel;  and  the  word  of  God  was  divulged  over  tliiit 
whole  nation  ;  they  staid  at  Antioch  a  great  while,  arid 
suffered  those  things  which,  in  his  latter  Epistle  to  the 
Corinthians,  he  writes  of,  to  wit,  tliat  as  at  Pnilippi  after- 
waids,  so  twice  elswhere  by  the  Gentiles,  he  had  been 
whipped  with  rods,  and  received  five  times  forty  stripes 
of  the  Jews,  sa^'e  one. 

Certain  professors  of  the  name  of  Christ,  of  the  sect  of 
the  Pharisees,  came  down  from  Judea  to  Antioch,  and 
said,  that  the  christians  oftlie  Gentiles  ought  to  be  cir- 
cumcised, and  to  keep  t-e  LiW  of  Moses,  if  they  would  be 
saved,  disturbing  the  souls  of  many  of  the  brethren  in 
Syria  and  Cilicia  with  their  perverse  doctrine  ;  against 
whom,  Paul  and  Barnabas  stiffly  opposed  themselves, 
Paul  calling  them  brethren  brought  in  unawares  :  Phii- 
astrius  de  Heres»  cap.  87.  and  Epiphanius,  Heres.  28. 
say,  that  Cerinthus,  that  arch-heretic,  was  the  first 
broacher  of  this  opinion. 

Piiul,  fourteen  years  after  his  conversion,  went  again  to 
Jerusalem  with  Barnabas,  being  both  sent  from  the 
church  at  Antioch  with  some  ethers,  that  they  might  ask 
the  judgment  of  the    apostles  and   eiders  at  Jerusalem 


OF     THE     TRUE     CHURGH.  6$ 

(whose  names  tliose  disturbers  had  abused  to  favour  their 
opinion)  concerning  the  crontroversy  newly  risen  ;  but 
Paul  would  not  compel  Titus  to  be  circumcised,  lest  he 
should  seem  to  give  place  to  the  false  brethren  for  a  mo- 
ment. 

Peter  and  Paul  had  foretold  at  Rome,  that  it  should 
come  to  pass,  after  a  little  time,  God  would  send  a  kin[^ 
that  should  overcome  the  Jews,  and  that  should  lay  their 
city  even  with  the  ground,  and  should  besiege  tliem, 
being  pined  with  hunger  and  thirst;  and  dien  it  should 
come  to  pass,  that  they  should  eat  each  other,  and  one 
consume  the  other  ;  and,  at  last,  that  they  should  come 
into  their  enemies'  hands,  and  should  see  tlieir  wives  most 
grievously  tormented  in  their  sight  ;  and  their  virgins 
violated  and  prostituted ;  their  sons  torn  asunder  ;  and 
their  little  ones  dashed  in  pieces  ;  and,  in  short,  that  all 
things  should  be  wasted  by  lire  and  sword,  and  them- 
selves forever  banished  out  of  their  own  land  ;  and  all 
this  because  they  exalted  themselves  against  the  son  of 
God.     Lactan.  lio.  iv.  cap.  xxi. 

On  the  29th  day  of  the  month  called  June,  (which  last 
day  of  that  month  falls  to  be  within  the  reign  of  Nero) 
Paul  was  beheaded  at  Rome,  as  the  records,  both  of  tiie 
eastern  and  western  churches  confirm;  Avhereupon  Chrys- 
ostom  affirms,  that  undoubtedly  the  day  of  his  death  was 
more  certainly  known  than  that  of  Alexander  himself, 
[iia  2  Cor.  Homil.  xxvi.]  Dionysius,  the  bishop  of  the 
Corinthians,  affirms,  in  an  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  that 
Peter  also  suffered  Martyrdom  at  the  sam-  time  with  him; 
[in  Eusebius,  lib.  ii.  Histor.  Ecclesiast.  cap.  xxiv.] 
whom  also  Ori gen  relates,  in  the  third  tome  of  his  com- 
mentaries upon  Genesis,  that  at  Rome,  he  was  crucified 
with  his  head  downwards,  as  he  had  desired.  [Ibid.  lib. 
iii.  Hist.  cap.  i.] 

Four  years  before  the  Jewish  Avar  (that  was  managed 
by  Vespasian)  when  the  city  of  Jerusalem  enjoyed  both 
peace  and  plenty,  one  Jesus,  the  son  of  Ananus  a  coun- 
tryman, and  one  of  the  common  people,  coniing  to  the 
feast  of  tabernacles,  began  suddenly  to  cry  out,  "  a  voice 
from  the  east,   a  voice  from  the  west,  a  voice  from  the 


70  A    LIVING    TESTIMONY 

four  winds,  a  voice  against  Jerusalem  and  the  temple,  a 
voice  against  new  married  men  and  women,  a  voice  a- 
gainst  all  this  people  ;"  and  crying  thus  night  and  day 
through  all  the  streets  of  the  city,  some  of  the  nobihty 
disdaining  any  token  of  adversity,  took  the  fellow  and 
scourged  him  with  many  stripes ;  but  he  spake  nothing 
secretly  for  himself,  nor  unto  them  that  scourged  him, 
but  continued  still  in  the  same  cry.  But  the  magistrates, 
thinking  it  rather  to  be  some  motion  in  him  from  God, 
brought  him  to  the  Roman  captain,  where  being  beaten 
till  his  bones  appeared,  he  made  no  entreaty,  but  with  a 
weeping  voice,  at  every  stroke,  he  said,  "  woe,  woe,  to 
Jerusalem".  Albinus  then  asked  them,  who^he  was,  and 
where  he  was  born,  and  why  he  still  cried  after  this  man- 
ner ;  but  he  answered  nothing  :  yet  he  ceased  not  to 
bewail  the  city,  till  Albinus,  thinking  he  was  mad,  suf- 
fered him  to  depart  :  he  crying  thus  most  on  the  feast 
days,  and  that  for  seven  years  space,  (or  rather  six,  as  it 
is  in  Phot.  Biblioth.  Cod.  xlvii.)  and  five  months,  and 
yet  was  neither  hoarse  nor  weary.  At  last,  he  was  killed 
by  a  stone  shot  out  of  an  engine  in  the  time  of  the  siege. 
[Joseph,  lib.  vii.  bel.  cap.  xii.] 

And  according  to  these,  and  many  other  prophecies 
concerning  the  destruction  that  was  to  come  upon  the 
Jews,  for  the  hardness  of  their  hearts,  it  came  to 
pass  ;  for  Cornelius  and  Suetonius  relate,  that  there 
were  six  hundred  thousand  of  the  Jews  killed  in 
this  Vv^ar  between  Vespasian  the  emperor,  and  the  Jews  ; 
but  Josephus,  a  Jew,  and  a  commander  in  that  v/ar, 
writes,  that  ten  hundred  thousand  perished  by  sword 
and  famine  :  and  of  the  rest  of  the  Jews  that  were  dis- 
persed all  the  world  over,  and  put  to  death  divers  ways, 
the  number  is  said  to  be  ninety  thousand  ;  (so  Orolius, 
Lib.  vii.  cap.  ix.)  but  I  find  not  in  Suetonius  the  num- 
of  six  hundred  thousand  of  them  that  were  killed.  In 
Josephus,  (Lib.  vi.  bel.  cap.  xvii.)  the  number  of  cap- 
tives is  ninety  seven  thousand,  but  the  other  number, 
eleven  hundred  thousand,  is  only  the  number  that  per- 
ished in  the  six  months'  siege  in  Jerusalem.     And  thus 


OF   THE   TIIUE   CHURCH.  71 

did  the  Lord  afflict  with  wars  and  destruction  the  apos- 
tatized and  stiff-necked  people  the  Jews,  until  thev  were 
a  scattered  and  dispersed  people,  as  at  this  day  they  are 
throughout  the  world. 


PART  II 


Shews  the  corrupt  fruits  of  the  false  church,  and  the  seed 
of  the  serpent  in  the  time  of  apostacy ^  darkness^  and 
persecution'^  amongst  them  called  Christians* 

XjlLTHOUGH  the  sufferings  of  the  christians  were 
very  great,  after  the  death  of  the  apostles,  for  some  time; 
and  it  cannot  be  denied  but  there  was  a  sincerity  in  some 
of  the  christian  churches  ;  yet  as  John  testified  in  his  day, 
he  saw  the  true  church  fiee  into  the  wilderness ;  and  the 
apostle  foretold,  that  there  would  be  a  departing  from 
the  faith;  and  Paul  saw  tilt  apostacy  coming  in  his  day, 
and  said,  perilous  times  should  come,  and  that  men 
should  be  lovers  of  themselves,  covetous,  &c.  and  repro- 
bate concerning  the  truth.  And  it  was  not  long  after 
the  apostles'  time,  before  these  prophecies  were  fulfilled; 
for  if  the  reader  peruse  the  following  discourse,  he  will 
find  a  great  decay,  and  apostacy  from  that  life  and  power 
that  the  apostles  were  in,  and  the  corrupt  fruits  of  many 
of  these  called  christians  brought  forth,  which  manifested 
the  great  degeneracy  that  was  comtC  upon  the  christian 
church  :  for,  as  Eusebius  writes,  when  persecution  at 
any  time  ceased,  then  began  heresy  to  spring  apace  a- 
mong  the  christians,  until  at  last  there  were  continual 
discord  and  contention,  and  they  broke  out  into  sects 
and  opinions,  and  persecuted  one  another  about  their  sev- 
eral forms  of  faith,  and  became  so  far  degenerated  from 
the  doctrine  of  Christ,  which  taught  to  love  enemies,  that 
they  became  haters  of  one  another,  and  manifested  to  the 
world,  that  they  had  lost  the  blessed  love  and  unity,  that 
were  amongst  the  apostles  and  brethren  of  the  christian 
church  in  the  beginning.  But  before  a  particular  ac- 
count be  given  of  that,  it  is  necessary  that  the  reader  un- 


THE    CORRUPT    FRUITS,  &C.  73 

derstand,  that  the  purest  state  of  the  christians,  in  the 
first  times  after  the  apostles,  was  their  most  suffering 
times,  when  as  ytt  the  christian  religion  was  accounted 
by  the  heathen  but  an  upstart  thing  ;  and  therefore  they 
persecuted  them  greatly,  as  may  be  seen  at  large  in  the 
testimony  of  the  martyrs  hereunto  annexed. 

But,  through  the  tenderness  of  Adrian  the  emperor, 
the  christians  had  some  intermission  from  their  suffer- 
ings, and  they  began  to  be  in  some  request ;  for,  after  Ad- 
rian's death,  Antonius  Pius  succeeding,  he  continued  that 
peace  with  the  christians  which  he  found  begun  in  Adri- 
an's last  days,  for  which  he  had  the  name  of  Pius  ;  yet 
by  the  people's  tumult,  without  the  emperor's  consent, 
some  were  martyred  ;  to  this  emperor,  Justin  made  an 
apology  on  the  behalf  of  the  christians ;  divers  other 
supplications  were  also  made  unto  him  on  their  behalf ; 
which  supplications  produced  an  edict  from  the  emperor, 
remitting  the  persecutions  against  the  christians. 

The  copy  of  the  edict  is  as  follows  :  "  The  emperor 
Caesar  Marcus  Aurelius  Antonius  Augustus  Amenicus 
Pontifex  Maximus,  fifteen  times  tribune,  thrice  consul, 
unto  the  commonalty  of  Asia,  sendeth  greeting.  I  know 
the  Gods  are  careful  to  disclose  hurtful  persons,  for  they 
punish  such  as  will  not  worship  them,  more  grievously 
than  you  do  them  you  bring  into  trouble  concerning  that 
opinion  which  they  conceive  of  you,  to  be  wicked  and 
ur^godly  men  ;  it  is  their  desire  in  God's  quarrel  to  die 
rather  than  to  live,  so  that  they  become  conquerors, 
yielding  their  lives  unto  the  death,  rather  than  to  obey  your 
edicts  :  it  shall  seem  very  necessary  to  admonish  you  of 
the  earthquakes  which  have  and  do  happen  among  us, 
that  being  therewith  moved,  you  may  compare  our  es- 
tate with  theirs  ;  they  have  more  confidence  towards  God 
than  you  have  ;  you,  during  the  time  of  your  ignorance, 
despise  other  Gods,  condemn  the  religion  of  the  immor- 
tal God,  banish  the  christians  which  worship  him,  and 
persecute  them  unto  death.  In  behalf  of  these  men  many 
of  the  ])rovincial  presidents  have  written  heretofore  un- 
to our  father  of  famous  memory,  whom  he  answered  in 
writing  again,  that  they  were  no  longer  to  be  molested, 

L 


74  THE     CORRUPT    FRUITS 

unless  they  had  practised  treason  against  the  Roman  em- 
pire, and  many  have  given  notice  unto  us  of  the  same 
matter,  whom  we  answ  red  as  our  father  did  before  ;  if 
any  therefore  hereafter  be  found  thus  busied  in  other 
men's  affairs,  we  command,  that  the  accused  be  abso- 
lute  and  free,  though  he  be  found  such  a  one,  I  mean 
faulty,  and  that  the  accuser  be  grievously  punished." 

In  the  hearing  of  the  great  assembly  of  Asia,  this  edict 
was  proclaimed  at  Ephesus.  Thus  far  of  Antonius  Pius, 
who  was  so  called  for  his  gentle  and  good  disposition  ; 
of  whom  it  is  recorded,  that  this  quiet  emperor  in  life, 
of  all  other  emperors  of  those  times,  died  the  quietest 
death. 

But  Vesus,  one  of  his  successors,  was  a  wicked  and 
cruel  man,  under  whom  multitudes  of  christians  suffered, 
as  may  be  seen  in  my  testimony  of  the  martyrs,  which 
may  give  the  reader  a  taste  of  what  they  endured,  who 
w^ere  faithful  to  give  a  testimony  concerning  their  faith. 
'  About  this  time,  the  christians  began  to  have  a  litde 
respite  and  peace  again,  from  the  heathens'  persecution 
of  them  ;  and  having  a  little  peace,  they  now  began  to 
jangle  about  the  celebration  of  Easter  ;  but  though  they 
differed  in  the  ceremony,  they  were  not  yet  grown  so 
bad  as  to  be  out  of  charity  one  with  another,  but  left  it 
as  an  indifferent  thing  in  the  church  until  the  time  of  Vic. 
tor. 

This  Victor  was  so  violent  set  upon,  upholding  the 
Roman  determination  of  his  former  predecessor  as  un- 
necessary, that  he  would  excommunicate  all  the  bishops 
and  churches  of  Asia,  unless  they  would  be  of  his  opin- 
ion, had  not  Ireneus  restrained  him,  who  though  he  was 
of  Victor's  opinion  concerning  the  celebration  of  Easter, 
yet  seeing  Policratus  bishop  of  Ephesus,  and  divers  oth- 
er  bishops  of  Asia,  of  another  opinion,  alleging  for  their 
practice  scripture,  and  the  example  of  other  fathers ;  there- 
fore Ireneus  still  took  off  the  edge  of  sharp  contentions, 
and  so  the  controversy  remained  free  till  the  time  of  the 
Nicene  council ;  and  other  doctrines  of  the  christian  re- 
ligion were  free  till  Victor's  time,  which  was  about  two 
hundred  vears  after  Christ. 


OF    THE   FALSE  CHURCH.  75 

About  this  time,  was  one  Philippius  made  president 
©f  Alexandria,  who  had  a  daughter  Eugenia,  of  rare 
beauty,  who,  to  avoid  marriage  with  a  Pagan,  and  heath- 
en persecutor,  fled  from  her  father,  going  in  man's  ap- 
parel, calhng  herself  Eugenius;  and  for  her  parts  was 
made  head  of  a  society  of  christians,  where  a  lustful  mat- 
ron being  enamoured  with  her  beauty,  supposing  her  to 
be  a  man,  laboured  to  draw  her  into  uncleanness  with 
her,  but  Eugenia  not  consenting,  this  matron  accused 
Eugenia  of  having  laboured  to  deflower  her;  whereupon, 
the  matter  was  brought  beforePhilippius  the  president, 
who  according  to  allegations,  being  about  to  condemn 
her  to  death,  Eugenia  seeing  no  other  evidence  would 
serve,  discovered  herself  to  Philippius  to  be  an  innocent 
woman,  and  his  daughter,  who  not  long  after  converted 
her  father  to  Christianity,  who  afterwards  died  also  a 
martyr  ;  and  after  his  death,  Eugenia  returning  to  Rome 
was  also  martyred. 

Maximinus  persecuted  the  christians  sorely,  though  at 
times  he  would  seem  to  be  otherwise  minded  ;  but  the 
hand  of  God  pursued  him,  so  that  he  was  afiiicted  with 
sore  distempers,  when  he  pondered  with  himself  the  rash 
enterprises  he  had  practised  against  the  worshippers  of 
God  ;  wherefore,  returning  unto  himself,  he  confessed 
his  sins  to  God,  aj>d  gave  forth  a  command,  that  with 
all  speed  they  should  cease  from  persecuting  the  chris- 
tiahs. 

The  christians  having  a  little  ease  and  liberty,  they  be- 
gan to  grow  in  favour  of  the  emperor's  courts,  and  to  be 
employed  in  the  emperor's  palaces,  and  to  be  eminent  in 
the  management  of  public  affairs,  whereby  they  degene- 
rated from  the  natural  rule  of  piety,  and  after  that,  one 
pursued  another  with  open  contumely  and  hatred,  bishops 
against  bishops,  and  people  against  people,  raised  sedi- 
tions, which  caused  persecution  against  them  again  ;  for 
the  shepherds  (saith  the  historian)  practised  contention 
and  schism  among  themselves  :  but  these  persecutions 
ended,  when  Constantine  came  to  be  emperor,  who  be- 
mg  a  christian,  and  a  wise  and  mighty  prince,  struck  all 
these  cruelties  and  death  under  foot,  and  gave  peace  un- 


76  THE    CORRUPT    ERUITS 

to  all  ;  but  as  peace  and  rest  came,  divisions  still  arose 
up  among  them,  and  when  they  had  power,  they  began 
to  impose  their  faiths  and  forms  of  worship  one  upon  an- 
other, as  the  heathen  did  to  them. 

No  sooner  were  the  heathen  persecutions  laid  aside, 
than  these  that  had  jointly  withstood  the  force  of  heathen- 
ish persecution,  came  to  be  at  variance,  and  at  length 
to  do  the  same  things  one  to  another  as  the  heathen  had 
done  unto  them  together. 

And  now  being  at  rest,  and  differing  among  themselves 
in  some  things,  they  knew  not  how  to  bear  one  another, 
but  being  insensible  of  the  hand  that  had  wrought  their 
deliverance,  they  began  to  impose  one  upon  another,  and 
to  enforce  their  several  faiths  with  torments  and  the  sword, 
which  wrought  sore  destruction  and  trouble  among  tl.ena, 
and  shamed  the  christian  religion. 

In  the  days  of  Constantine,  free  liberty  was  given  to 
all  men,  to  use  what  religion  they  pleased,  as  by  the  par- 
ticular constitutions  and  edicts  may  be  seen  at  large  ;  so 
that  there  was  liberty  now  of  complaints,  and  synods  were 
called  to  refute,  at  least,  take  off  the  opposition  of  the 
contrary  ;  but  when  the  succeeding  emperors,  leaned 
to  this  or  that  party,  or  confession  of  faith,  or  opin- 
ion, then  force  of  arms,  or  carnal  extremities,  were 
exercised  towards  those  who  were  of  the  contrary  dispo- 
sitions. And  thus,  as  religion  became  national,  and  w^as 
required  by  the  laws  of  men,  and  imposed,  such  were  the 
consequences  of  it;  for  a  difference  fell  out  between  Cicil- 
ianus  bishop  of  Carthage, 'and  the  bishops  with  him,  the 
one  siding  against  the  other  in  Africa,  which  occasioned 
Constantine  to  summon  a  synod  of  bishops  to  meet  at 
Rome,  for  the  hearing  and  reconciling  thereof ;  at  which, 
something  being  attempted,  and  the  judgment  given  by 
the  other  party  not  being  acquiesced  in,  but  after  the  ris- 
ing of  the  synod,  the  difference  increasing  instead,  of  be- 
ing ended  amongst  them,  he  called  a  second  synod  at  Or- 
leans in  France,  to  the  end  it  might  be  determined  ;  as  a 
scourge  and  rebuke,  unto  which  dissentions,  or  the  dif- 
ferences that  then  arose  among  the  christians,  Lucinius, 
(who  being  emperor,  and,  together  with  Constantine,  had 


OF   THE   FALSE   CHURCH.  77 

written,  enjoining  the  liberty  of  the  christians)  came  forth 
and  fell  upon  the  christians  under  his  dominion,  who 
never  did  him  evil,  practising  the  same  things  upon  them 
as  those  had  done,  whom,  for  so  doing,  he  had  cut  off. 
First,  he  banished  them  from  his  court,  and  such  as  would 
not  sacrifice,  he  spoiled  of  their  honour  and  dignities, 
commanded  no  charity  to  be  given  to  them  that  were  in 
p.rison  and  in  fetters,  no  not  by  their  kindred,  overthrow- 
ing the  meeting-places  of  the  christians  to  the  ground  ; 
some  of  the  bishops,  his  presidents,  he  caused  to  be  tor- 
mented, cutting  their  bodies  into  small  pieces,  as  butchers 
do  their  meat,  casting  pieces  into  the  sea  for  food  for  fish- 
es. He  revoked  sundry  good  laws  of  the  Romans,  brought 
in  barbarous  and  cruel  laws,  unjust  and  unlawful,  mak- 
ing away  noble  and  honest  personages,  whose  youthful 
and  tender  wives  he  delivered  to  his  servants  to  be  shame- 
fully  abused  ;  for  these  things,  Constantine  made  war 
against  him ;  by  which  means,  the  persecutions  against 
the  christians  again  ceased,  and  they  had  rest. 

The  christians  came  now  to  have  rest  and  peace  again; 
see  what  Socrates,  in  the  continuation  of  the  history, 
saith,  concerning  the  differences  that  were  among  the 
christians,  and  the  consequences  thereof. 

Aritis  was  the  first  he  takes  notice  of,  who,  hearing 
Alexander,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  treating  somewhat 
more  curiously  of  what  is  called  the  Trinity  in  unity, 
arrtong  the  priests  that  were  under  him,  said,  "  If  the 
Father  begot  the  Son,  then  had  the  Son,  which  was  be- 
gotten, a  beginning  of  essence ;  hereby  it  is  manifest 
that  there  was  a  time  when  the  Son  was  not,  and  the 
consequence  to  follow  necessarily,  that  he  had  his  es- 
sence  of  nothing.''  This  began  a  great  deal  of  reason- 
ing amongst  them.  Arius  had  his  favourers,  both  of 
bishops  and  others,  of  this  his  blasphemous  opinion, 
which  beginning  at  Alexandria,  spread  itself  throughout 
all  Kgypt,  Lybia,  and  the  upper  Thebais,  and  at  lengths 
passed  through  the  rest  of  the  cities  and  provinces  ;  the 
spreading  of  this  moved  Alexander,  who  calling  a  coun- 
cil of  many  bishops,  deprived  Arius,  and  such  as  fa- 
voured  his   opinion,  of  the  priestly  order,  and  after- 


78  THE"^  CORRUPT    FRUITS 

wards  writing  to  the  bishops  throughout  the  cities  against 
him,  spread  the  thing  farther  than  it  was  before,  because 
those  unto  whom  the  letters  were  directed,  began  to 
burn  among  themselves  with  the  sparks  of  contention 
and  discord. 

So  the  nicety  of  the  bishop  on  the  one  hand,  and  his 
sharp  proceeding  and  writing  on  the  other,  gave  occa- 
sion for  this  little  spark  to  burn  out  into  a  great  flame, 
which  made  sore  distraction  and  divisions,  and  which  in 
no  wise  could  be  quenched,  but  ran  over  all  as  a  loath- 
some leprosy,  bishop  against  bishop,  people  against  peo- 
ple, and  synod  against  synod,  doing  the  things  which  the 
heathen  had  done  to  them,  which  rended  them  asunder, 
and  caused  the  religion  which  the  Christians  professed, 
to  be  openly  derided  by  the  heathens  in  the  public  thea- 
tres. 

Con  Stan  tine  was  sorely  troubled  at  these  things,  and 
by  a  principal  person  whom  he  entirely  loved,  he  wrote 
both  to  Alexander  and  Arius,  blaming  Alexander  for 
demanding  a  question  of  the  elders  touching  a  certain 
place  of  scripture  ;  yea,  rather  fsaith  his  letter)  touching 
a  certain  vain  piece  of  a  question  what  every  one's  opin- 
ion was  :  and  Arius,  for  unadvisedly  blazing  abroad,  and 
setting  a  broach  that  which  thou  shouldst  (saith  the  em- 
peror) not  at  the  first  have  conceived,  and  having  con- 
ceived it,  thou  shouldst  have  passed  over  with  silence. 
He  wrote  smartly  to  them  both,  and  very  reasonably,  con- 
cerning an  accommodation,  and  that  union  might  be 
again,  exhorting  them  to  pardon  each  other,  but  neither 
of  them  would  hear ;  he  summoned  a  council  at  Nice 
about  that,  and  near  the  time  of  celebrating  the  feast  of 
Easter,  about  which  there  was  no  small  controversy  at 
this  time  also ;  at  which  council,  three  hundred  and 
eighteen  bisliops  met,  the  emperor  being  present,  and 
endeavoured  to  persuade  them  to  unity,  where  making  a 
creed,  they  generally  subscribed  it,  except  five  bishops, 
who  admitted  not  of  the  clause  of  *  one  substance  with 
the  Fat'.er,'  and  who  thus  affirmed,  that  to  be  of  one  sub- 
stance, which  had  its  original  of  something,  either  by 
divison,  or  derivation,  or  production  ;  -by  production,  as 


OF    THE     FALSE    CHURCH.  79 

a  bud  out  of  a  root ;  by  derivation,  as  cluldren  of  the 
parents  ;  by  division,  as  two  or  three  pieces  out  of  one 
piece  of  gold.  The  Son  of  God  by  relation  was  after 
none  of  these  manners,  and  therefore,  they  said,  they 
would  not  agree  to  the  form  of  faith  confirmed  in  the 
council  of  Nice ;  and,  by  the  emperor's  edict,  some  of  the 
dissentitig  bishops  were  exiled. 

The  decree  of  this  synod,  by  a  solemn  epistle,  was 
sent  unto  the  churches  throughout  Egypt,  Lybia,  &c. 
and  Constantine  WTOte  to  the  church  at  Alexandria,  and 
other  places,  concerning  the  matter,  wherein  he  calls  the 
censure  of  this  assembly,  or  the  decree  of  this  synod, 
the  sentence  of  God  himself;  neither  doubted  he,  that 
so  great  a  company  of  bishops  was  so  united  and  linked 
together  in  one  opinion  and  mind,  but  by  the  motion  and 
instinct  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  notwithstanding  Sabinus 
(who  was  termed  the  ring-leader  of  the  Macedonian  her- 
esy) impugned  those  things,  terming  those  that  met  at 
Nice,  unlearned  and  doltish  idiots. 

Thus  things  grew  on  to  a  height,  for  the  emperor,  fa- 
vouring the  strongest  side,  made 'decrees  and  laws,  so  that 
there  came  to  be  an  injunction  ;  and  the  emperor  com- 
manded, that  if  any  book  or  work  of  Arias  could  be 
found,  it  should  be  burnt  to  ashes,  and  that  it  should  be 
death  to  keep  it ;  and,  as  soon  as  he  was  taken,  his  head 
should  be  stricken  otY  from  his  shoulders ;  and  thus  the 
congest  grew  high,  and  woful  wreck  came  upon  Christian 
assemblies,  although  the  emperor,  in  his  letters  to  Ari- 
us  and  Alexander,  reasoned  contrary  to  his  actions  ;  for 
writing  concerning  the  unit}',  he  said  to  them,  "  where, 
fore  let  every  one  of  you  pardon  eacli  other,  like  that 
which  your  fellowminister,  not  without  cause,  exhort- 
eth  you  unto,  (as  aforesaid)  and  what  is  that  ?  That  you 
neither  object  at  all,  nor  answer  any  objection  that  con- 
cerneth  such  matters  ;  for  such  questions  as  no  law  or 
ecclesiastical  canon  necessarily  delineth,  but  the  fruitless 
contention  of  idle  brains  sctteth  abroad,  though  the  ex- 
ercise thereof  avail  for  the  sharpening  of  the  wit,  yet  ought 
we  to  retain  them  in  the  inward  closet  of  our  minds,  and 
not  rashly  to  broach  them  in  the  public  asscini)ly  of  the 


80  THE    CORRUPT    FRUITS 

vulgar  people  ;  neither  unadvisedly  to  grant  the  common 
sort  the  hearing  thereof;  for  how  many  be  there  tRat  can 
worthily  explicate,  and  sufficiently  ponder,  the  weight 
of  so  grave,  so  intricate,  so  obscure  a  matter ;  but  if 
there  be  any  such,  that  persuadeth  himself  easily  to 
compass  and  attain  unto  it ;  how  many  parts  are  there,  I 
beseech  you,  of  the  multitude  whom  he  can  sufficient- 
ly instruct  therein  ?  And  who  is  there,  who  in  sifting 
out  so  curious  a  question,  that  can  well  pass  the  peril  of 
plunging  into  error  ?  Wherefore,  in  such  cases,  wc  must 
refrain  from  verbal  disputations,  lest  that  either  we,  by 
reason  of  the  imbecility  of  our  wit,  cannot  explicate  our 
mind,  when  we  teach,  or  our  auditors  by  reason  of  their 
dull  capacity,  cannot  comprehend  the  curious  drift  of 
our  doctrine,  whereby  the  people,  of  necessity,  incur 
the  danger,  either  of  blasphemy,  or  the  poisoning  in< 
fection  of  discord  ;  wherefore,  both  the  rash  objection, 
and  the  unadvised  answer,  being  the  cause  of  the  heret- 
ical sect  of  the  Arians,  Eunomians,  and  as  many  as  fa- 
vour the  like  folly,  ought  each  one  of  each  other  to 
crave  pardon. 

The  difference  between  the  heathen  and  the  christians 
was,  whether  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God  ?  The  differ- 
ence betwixt  the  Christians  was,  whether  the  Son  of 
God  was  eternal  ?  And  in  at  this  door  entered  the  ene- 
my to  make  shipwreck  of  the  flock. 

Arius  being  sent  for  to  Constantinople,  and  coming 
there,  he  framed  a  recantation  at  the  emperor's  demand, 
whereupon  the  emperor  sent  him  to  Alexandria  again. 
Athanasius,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  (for  Alexander  was 
dead)  refused  to  receive  him.  Eusebius,  bishop  of  Ni- 
comedia,  Vvrote  to  Athanasius,  and  also  procured  the 
emperor's  letters  to  command  Athanasius  to  admit 
Arius.  Athanasius  wrote  back  again  to  the  emperor, 
that  it  was  not  lawful  for  such  as  had  made  shipwreck  of 
their  faith,  and  had  been  censured,  after  this  their  turn 
and  conversion,  to  receive  their  former  dignities.  This 
vexed  the  emperor,  so  that  he  was  much  displeased  with 
Athanasius,  and  wrote  sharply  to  him ;  but  he  refused, 
notwithstanding,  to  receive  him  ;  whereupon,  six  bish- 


OF    TKE    FALSE    CHURCK.  81 

Ops  took  their  opportunity  to  lift  him  out  of  his  bishop- 
ric ;  afterwards,  by  the  consent  of  all  the  bishops,  as- 
sembled at  Jerusalem  co  consecrate  the  temple,  built  by 
the  emperor,  Athanasius  was  exiled. 

The  thirteenth  year  of  Constantine  expired,  while 
these  things  were  doing,  yet  he  saw  no  peace  among  the 
christians.  Arius,  with  his  company,  returning  to  Alex- 
andria, they  set  the  whole  city  in  an  uproar,  for  they 
were  not  only  disturbed  with  the  return  of  Arius,  but  the 
banishment  of  Athanasius.  The  emperor  understand- 
ing  the  perverse  mind,  and  corrupt  purpose  of  Arius, 
sent  for  him  again  to  Constantinople,  to  render  an  ac- 
count of  the  tumult  and  sedition  he  had  raised  afresh  ; 
the  city  being  divided  into  two  parts,  one  for  the  Nicene 
creed,  the  other  for  Arius.  Arius  being  come  to  Con- 
stantinople, the  emperor  demanded  of  him  to  sign  the 
Nicene  creed,  and  he  subscribed  it  cheerfully.  He  put 
him  to  his  oath,  and  he  swore  it  also.  His  juggle  is  said 
to  be  this:  he  wrote  his  opinion  in  a  piece  of  paper, 
which  he  carried  under  his  arm  in  his  bosom,  and  com- 
ing to  the  book,  he  took  his  oath,  that  he  verily  believ- 
ed as  he  had  written  :  the  emperor,  believing  he  had 
dealt  plainly,  commanded  the  bishop  of  Constantinople 
to  receive  him  to  communion.  This  was  on  Satur- 
day, the  day  after  he  looked  to  be  received  by 
the  church:  but  see  what  happened  upon  his  lewd 
mid  bold  enterprise,  being  departed  out  of  the  em- 
peror's  hall,  passing  through  the  city  in  great  pomp, 
coming  nigh  Constantine's  market,  he  was  sudden- 
ly taken  with  a  great  lax  and  faintness,  and  he  void- 
ed his  bowels,  and  immediately  died  like  a  dog ;  and  the 
place  was  then  to  be  seen  ;  and  passengers  were  wont,  as 
they  went  by,  to  point  their  fingers  thereat,  in  remem- 
brance of  the  miserable  end  of  Arius.  Shortly  after,  the 
emperor  died  ;  but,  neither  with  the  death  of  Arius,  nor 
of  Constantine,  was  there  an  end  of  the  troublesome 
discord,  that  was  among  the  christians ;  for  a  council 
being  called  by  both  the  emperors  at  Sardis,  the  bishops 
of  tho  east  would  not  come  to  the  bishops  of  the  west, 


82  THE    CORRUPT    FRUITS 

unless  they  would  bear  Paulus  and  Athanasius  their 
company  ;  which  the  bishops  of  the  west  not  brooking, 
the  eastern  bishops  departed ;  and  at  Pilippi,  a  city  in 
Thracia,  there  assembled  a  private  council,  and  thence- 
forth openly  began  to  curse  the  creed,  condemning  the 
clause  of  one  substance,  and  writing  to  sow  abroad  their 
opinion,  that  the  Son  of  God  was  not  of  one  substance 
with  the  Father. 

The  western  bishops  that  continued  at  Sardis,  first 
condemned  them  which  fled  from  the  hearing  of  their 
cause ;  next,  deposed,  from  their  dignities,  the  accus- 
ers of  Athanasius ;  afterwards,  ratified  the  creed  of  the 
Nicene  council,  and  abrogated  the  heretical  opinion, 
which  said,  that  ti:ie  Son  was  of  a  different  substance 
from  the  Father  ;  lastly,  they  set  forth  more  plainly  the 
clause  of  one  substance,  and  ^vTote  letters  thereof,  and 
sent  them  throughout  the  whole  world. 

And  thus  things  often  changed  and  altered,  men  hav- 
ing lost  that  which  should  give  a  weighty  understanding 
in  these  matters,  and  going  about  to  make  faiths,  and 
to  force  and  compel  one  another  thereto ;  as  also  to  deter- 
mine and  give  judgment  in  things  beyond  their  reach, 
being  in  their  fallen  wisdom,  they  turned  the  world  up- 
side down,  in  reference  to  conformity  to  their  faith,  and 
broke  asunder  the  bond  of  unity  and  concord,  which 
once  flourished  among  the  true  christians. 

But  these  cruel  divisions,  because  of  faith  and  doc- 
trines, in  relation  unto  God,  were  not  let  pass  without 
rebukes  from  the  Lord;  for  the  Persians  proclaimed 
wars  against  the  Romans  ;  and  now  Constantine,  the  em- 
peror, died,  and  Julianus  succeeded  him,  who,  though 
brought  up  a  christian,  yet  had  a  secret  iiiclination  un- 
to Paganism  ;  who  set  open  the  idolatrous  temples  and 
groves,  and  sacrificed  to  pictures,  and  entitled  himself 
an  high  priest. 

In  the  reign  of  this  Julian,  called  the  apostate,  by  rea- 
son of  his  inclining  to  Heathenism,  the  christians  suf- 
fered very  deeply,  and  some  were  run  through  with 
swords ;  some  killed  with  clubs  ;  some  stoned  to 
death ;    some    strangled    with    halters ;     some    nailed 


OF   THE    FALSE    CHURCH.  83 

to  trees,  casting  in  their  teeth  the  death  of  the 
cross  ;  one  friend  fell  upon  another ;  one  brother  sought 
anothers's  life  ;  parents  put  their  chidren  to  death  ;  and, 
to  be  short,  one  cut  the  other's  throat.  This  blood  and 
murder  the  emperor  Julian  seemed  to  be  troubled  at, 
thinking  it  migiit  give  a  sudden  start  to  his  settlement  in 
the  empire  ;  therefore,  he  wrote  a  cruel  angry  letter  to 
those  of  Alexandria,  shewing  his  dislike  of  their  enter- 
prise. 

Shortly  after,  Julian  put  forth  a  proclamation,  that  such 
as  would  not  renounce  the  christian  faith,  should  warfare 
no  longer  in  the  emperor's  palace,  but  all  should  pre^xire 
to  do  sacrifice  ;  that  no  christian  should  bear  office  in 
the  commonwealth  ;  for  their  law,  said  he,  forbiddeth  the 
use  of  the  sword,  unto  such  as  deserve  death,  and  there- 
fore they  are  not  fit  to  be  magistrates. 

As  a  scourge  for  Julian,  who  undertook  these  enter- 
prises against  the  christians,  wars  broke  out  against 
him ;  and  considering  that  many  inconveniences  and  evils 
attended  war,  and  great  sums  of  money  were  requisite, 
he  set  a  great  fine  on  the  heads  of  those  that  would  not 
sacrifice  :  so  that  the  christians  were  assessed,  and  he 
greatly  enriched  himself  with  large  sums  of  money  un- 
justly exacted  ;  then  did  the  Gentiles  insult  over  the 
christians,  the  philosophers  solemnizing  their  detestable 
rites  and  ceremonies,  making  slaughter  of  infants,  sparing 
neither  sex,  using  their  entrails  for  sooth-saying,  they 
tasted  of  their  tender  flesh.  These  detestable  practices 
\\  ere  both  at  Athens  and  Alexandria,  and  elsewhere. 

At  Marais  in  Phrygia,  Amachius  the  governor  com- 
manded the  temple  to  be  set  wide  open,  and  to  be  cleans- 
ed, and  set  himself  to  worship  the  idols,  which  pricked  not 
a  litde  in  conscience  the  zealous  christians ;  where- 
fore Masidonius,  Theodulus  and  Tattanus  broke, 
in  the  night  season,  into  the  temple,  threw  do\^•n 
tlieir  idols  ;  and  stamped  them  to  powder ;  at  which, 
wJien  the  governor  was  exceeding  wroth,  and  threatened 
to  execute  divers  of  the  citizens,  the  men  aforcsnid  pre- 
sented themselves,  who  were  the  authors  thereof,  that  the 
guiltless  of  that  act  might  not  suffer,  and  chose   to  die 


84  THE    CORRUPT    FRUITS 

themselves  for  the  truth,  the  governor  commanded  them 
to  clear  themselves  by  sacrifice,  threatening  severely  to 
punish  them,  if  they  did  not  :  they  set  nought  by  his 
threats,  and  made  themselves  ready  to  suffer.  The  gov- 
ernor, when  he  had  assayed  them  with  every  kind  of  tor- 
ments, last  of  all,  set  them  on  the  gridiron,  and  caused 
fire  to  be  made  under,  and  broiled  them  to  death  ;  who 
nobly  said,  "  if  thou  dost  long,  O  Amachius,  after  broiled 
meat,  turn  up  the  other  side  of  us,  lest  in  the  eating,  we 
seem  raw  unto  thee,  and  the  blood  run  about  thy  teeth." 

Julian  being  dead,  Jovianus  succeeded,  who,  being 
proclaimed  emperor,  refused  the  crown,  and  being  com- 
pelled thereto  by  loud  speeches,  expressed  himself,  that 
he  was  a  christian,  and  he  would  not  be  emperor  where 
Ethnics  should  be  his  subjects  ;  but,  when  they  cried 
with  one  voice,  and  confessed  themselves  christians,  he 
yielded,  and  was  crowned  emperor;  and  now  peace  came 
again  to  the  church,  but  it  was  no  sooner  come,  than  the 
sedition  began  again  among  the  christians  ;  and  now  the 
emperor  sticking  fast  to  the  faith  of  one  substance,  the 
bishops,  who  had  been  exiled  for  the  same  faith,  he  also 
restored ;  the  Pagans'  temple  he  shut  up,  and  stopped 
their  worshipping  devils,  which  Julian  gave  way  to,  and 
which  they  had  their  fill  in,  in  his  reign. 

Now  went  on  the  old  work,  of  tearing  and  rending  one 
another,  among  the  christians.  The  Macedonians  made 
a  supplication  to  the  emperor,  that  such  as  avouched  the 
unlikeness  and  dissimilitude  between  the  son  and  father, 
should  be  banished  the  church,  and  themselves  substitu- 
ted in  their  rooms.  The  emperor  gave  them  no  answer 
at  all,  but  with  these  words  sent  them  away  ;  "  I  tell  you 
truly,  I  cannot  away  with  contention,  but  such  as  em- 
brace unity  and  concord,  I  do  both  honour  and  reverence;" 
which  cooled  the  fiery  contention  of  others. 

The  Acacians  also  signed  a  supplication  to  the  empe- 
ror, acknowledging  the  faith  of  one  substance.  The  em- 
peror told  them,  he  would  not  molest  any,  what  faith  imd 
religion  soever  they  professed  ;  but  above  all  others,  that 
he  would  honour  and  reverence  such  as  shewed  them- 


OF  THE    FALSE   CHURCH.  85 

selves  peace -makers,  and  went  about  to  maintain  the  bond 
of  unity  and  concord. 

And  Athanasius  being  dead,  after  he  had  been  bishop 
forty  six  years,  Peter  was  left  behind  to  succeed  him. 
The  emperor  Jovianus  being  also  dead,  and  the  Arians 
coming  in  favour,  Lucius  the  Arian  was  settled  in  Alex- 
andria,  whereupon  great  persecution  followed  in  Egypt, 
wherein  some  were  imprisoned,  some  tormented,  and 
Others  exiled  ;  Peter,  the  bishop  of  Alexandria^  was  im- 
prisoned, and  not  long  after  an  edict  was  proclaimed,  by 
virtue  of  which,  the  religious  houses  in  the  desert  were 
spoiled,  the  people  thrown  down,  and  cruelly  beaten  to 
the  ground  ;  for  the  armed  soldiers  setting  upon  those 
accounted  silly  and  unarmed  souls,  who  would  not  stretch 
out  the  hand  in  their  own  defence,  were  miserably  slain  : 
the  manner  of  which  slaughter  was  so  lamentable  (saith 
the  record)  that  it  cannot  sufficiently  be  manifest  to  the 
world ;  and  throughout  Alexandria  and  Egypt,  there 
were  great  persecutions  to  them  that  maintained  the 
faith  of  one  substance  ;  they  were  brought  before  the 
bar  ;  they  were  put  in  prison ;  they  were  diversly  tor- 
mented ai-yd  vexed  with  sundry  punishments  ;  set  at 
nought  ;  scourged  ;  spoiled  of  their  raiment  ;  fettered 
in  prison  ;  crushed  with  stones  ;  beheaded  with  bloody 
swords  ;  shut  u})  in  the  desert  ;  covered  with  sheep  and 
goat  skins  ;  destitute  of  aid  and  succour  ;  grievously  af- 
flicted; whom  the  world  was  not  worthy  to  enjo}',  nor  the 
earth  to  bear  so  holy  a  burden  (saith  the  historian Rufmus) 
vv'iio  is  said  to  have  been  an  eye-witness  and  partaker 
with  them  in  the  same  calamity  ;  many  wandered  in  ma- 
ny and  dangerous  ways,  and  hid  themselves  in  mountains^ 
caves,  dens,  and  hollow  rocks  ;  all  which,  when  Lucius 
had  accomplished,  he  persuaded  the  captain  to  banish  the 
fathers  and  ring-leaders  of  them. 

In  those  days,  these  sufterings  brought  the  christia?-:s 
into  a  lowly  frame  and  state,  leading  a  self-denving  life 
in  deserts  and  other  retired  places  ;  the  historian  men- 
tions one  of  them,  by  which  may  be  seen  what  princi- 
ples were  amongst  the  rest. 


S6  THE     CORRUPT    l^RUITS 

There  was,  said  he,  one  Moses,  who  led  in  the  de- 
sert, a  solitary  or  retired  kind  of  life,  and  is  said,  for  his 
zeal  to  religion  and  constant  faith,  to  be  famous  among 
them:  this  Moses  was  taken  from  the  wilderness  and  sent 
to  Alexandria,  with  intent  to  be  made  bishop  ;  and  being 
come  to  be  made  bishop,  he  refused  to  receive  orders  from 
Lucius ;  and  after  this  sort,  reasoned  with  him,  "  I 
think  myself  unworthy  of  the  priestly  order,  yet  if  it 
be  for  the  profit  of  the  commonwealth,  that  I  be  called 
unto  the  function,  truly,  thou,  Lucius,  shalt  never  lay 
hand  upon  my  head  ;  for  thy  right  hand  is  imbrued  in 
slaughter  and  bloodshed."  Then  Lucius  said  again,  that 
it  became  not  him  so  contumeliously  to  revile  him,  but 
rather  to  learn  of  him  the  precepts  of  the  christian  re- 
ligion. Moses  answered,  "  I  am  not  come  to  reason  of 
matters  of  religion  ;  but  sure  I  am  of  this,  that  thy  hor- 
rible practice  against  the  brethren,  proves  thee  to  be  ut- 
terly void  of  the  true  principles  of  the  christian  religion ; 
for  the  true  christian  striketh  no  man,  revileth  no  man, 
iighteth  with  no  man  ;  for  the  servant  of  God  should  be 
no  fighter  ;  but  thy  deeds  in  exiling  some,  throwing 
others  to  wild  beasts,  burning  some  others,  do  cry 
out  against  thee  ;  yet  are  we  surer  of  the  things  we  see 
with  our  eyes,  than  of  those  we  hear  with  our  ears.  So 
Moses  was  brouglit  to  a  mountain,  and  made  priest  by 
such  as  v*ere  exiled  ;  for  now  the  wars  ceased,  and  the 
persecuted  found  some  comfort. 

But  now  the  affairs  of  the  church  being  quiet  from 
persecution,  they  began  to  jangle  about  their  creeds, 
and  to  differ  again,  and  falling  together  by  the  ears, 
when  a  little  outw  ard  peace  from  the  emperor  sprang  in 
among  them,  which  was  occasioned  by  forcing  their 
fiiith  one  upon  another  :  this  was  the  division  among 
themselves,  wlien  there  was  no  division  made  of  them 
by  the  Roman  governments  ;  and  this  was  the  trade  a- 
moiig  the  christians,  striving  and  contending  for  each 
othicr's  bisho])rics,  worse  than  some  of  the  emperors, 
wlio  were  willing,  many  times,  to  leave  things  free  as  to 
matters  of  religion;  the  manner  of  the  bishops  at  the  gen- 
eral councils  and  synods  being  to   cleave  hairs  (as  they 


OF    TH£    FALSE    CHURCH.  87 

used  to  say)  at  arguments,  and  they  that  were  most  cu- 
rious and  subtle  therein,  were  accounted  the  best  mas- 
ters of  faith,  and  so  carried  the  matter,  not  according  to 
the  revelation  of  truth,  but  according  to  the  subtlety  of  man, 
through  which  came  all  this  ado  and  trouble  in  the  world  ; 
and  that  side  which  the  emperor  took  part  Avith,  prevailed, 
keeping  the  other  under.  Thus  matters  of  religion  be- 
gan to  be  guided  by  policy,  and  to  be  enforced  to  be  be- 
lieved, by  the  emperor's  sword,  or  else  great  persecu- 
tion followed.  Now  the  Christians  were  divided  into  a 
diversity  of  opinions,  viz.  Arians,  Novatians,  Macedo- 
nians, and  Eunomiana,  one  severing  himself  from  the 
other ;  and  these  schisms  and  rents  were  many,  as  is 
usual  where  the  unity  of  the  spirit  is  not  known  in  the 
bond  of  peace,  and  where  logic  and  wit,  and  the  wisdom 
which  is  from  beneath,  take  upon  them  the  determina- 
tion of  truth. 

The  other  chief  matters  in  which  they  differed,  were, 
the  time  of  observing  Easter,  their  Lent,  Communion, 
days  of  fasting,  setting  of  their  altar,  priests  marrying, 
&c.  Concerning  Easter,  the  greater  part  throughout 
the  lesser  Asia,  held  no  discord  with  them  that  held  the 
contrary  opinion,  until  Victor,  bishop  of  Rome,  through 
broiling  heat  and  choler,  had  excommunicated  all  Asia, 
for  not  believing  his  opinion  in  the  same  ;  for  which, 
Ireneus  inveighed  bitterly,  by  letter, .against  him,  and 
rebuked  him  for  his  harsh  dealing,  and  furious  rage. 

Though  many  councils  were  called,  thinking  thereby 
to  make  reconcilement  in  the  matter  of  difference,  yet 
the  breach  rather  grew  wider,  deposing  and  banishing 
one  another  for  refusing  to  be  subject  to  tlie  decrees  and 
canons  of  councils  ;  for  they  were  so  strict,  that  they 
would  not  admit  of  tlie  change  of  one  syllable,  avoiding 
the  company,  and  refusing  to  commimicate  with  them 
that  were  otherwise  minded  ;  on  the  other  hand,  others 
condemned  the  council,  and  their  decrees,  and  accursed 
them,  contending  among  themselves,  whether  Christ 
had  one  or  two  natures  ;  insomuch,  that  all  the  churches 
were  divided  into  sundry  factions,  tl  e  bis'.iops  refusing;- 
to  communicate  one  with  another. 


88  THE    CORRUPT    FRUITS 

Thus  the  reader  may  see  how  far  the  Christians  were 
degenerated  from  the  life  that  the  Apostles  and  first 
Christians  were  in,  contending  with,  and  destroying  one 
another,  aboui  their  forms  and  outward  observations,  as 
if  they  had  wholly  forgotten  the  doctrine  of  the  Apostle, 
who  wTote  after  this  manner,  *'  how  turn  you  again  to 
these  weak  and  beggarly  elements,  whereinto  ye  desir^ 
again  to  be  in  bondage  ?  Ye  observe  days,  months,  times, 
and  years  ;  I  am  afraid  of  you,  lest  I  have  bestowed  on 
you  labour  in  vain." 

Yet  at  this  time,  there  were  some  sincere  persons 
raised  up  to  testify  against  the  looseness  and  evils  the 
pretended  christians  were  run  into ;  for  Chrisostome 
(saith  the  history)  was  bold  and  free  in  rebuking  sin, 
especially  in  his  public  preaching  ;  and  for  that  cause, 
was  he  hated  by  the  clergy.  He  withstood  Gainas,  who 
requested  of  the  einperor  that  he  might  obtain  a  temple 
at  Constantinople  for  his  people. 

About  diis  time,  was  John,  patriarch  of  Alexandria, 
who  of  a  hard  sparing  man,  became  bountiful  in  hospi- 
tality to  to  the  poor  ;  he  would  twice  a  week,  sit  all  the 
day  at  his  door,  to  take  up  matters,  and  make  unity 
where  there  was  any  variance.  He  lamented  much  one 
day,  because  none  came  that  day  to  him,  as  having  done 
no  good  ;  but  his  deacon  persuaded  him  rather  to  re- 
joice, that  he  had  brought  the  city  into  that  good  order, 
that  it  needed  no  reconcilement. 

Near  this  time,  died  Gregory,  bishop  of  Rome,  in 
whose  time,  it  is  recorded,  that  the  purity  of  the  eccle- 
siastical doctrine  was  almost  lost ;  for  it  was  imbrued 
and  darkened  with  human  traditions,  and  many  and  sun- 
dry sorts  of  superstitions  were  daily  brought  in,  and 
there  grew  horrible  and  bitter  darkness  ;  yet,  saith  my 
author,  the  Lord  raised  up  some  good  men  betimes.  In 
this  bishop's  time,  there  happened  a  great  controversy 
about  the  primacy  of  the  church  ;  for  John,  bishop  of 
Constantinople,  was  declared,  in  the  whole  synod  of  the 
Greeks,  universal  patriarch ;  and  Maritius,  the  empe- 
ror, commanded  Gregory  to  obey  the  said  patriarch  of 
Constantinople ;  but  Gregory  would  not  abide  that  any 


OF   THE    FALSE    CHURCH.  89 

bishop  should  be  universal  above  all  the  rest.  It  is  fur- 
ther said  of  Gregory,  that  lie  was  the  basest  of  all  his 
predecessors,  and  the  best  of  all  his  successors. 

Boniface  the  third,  being  bishop  of  Rome,  it  is 
said,  he  -did  more  hurt  in  one  year  than  Gregory  could 
do  good  in  m  my.  He  obtained  of  Pnocas  (the  wicked 
emperor,  who  had  murdered  Mauritius,  his  master)  that 
he  and  his  successors  in  that  see,  should  have  an  uni-ver- 
sal  dominion  over  all  the  churches  in  Christendom. 

And  it  was  observable,  that  as  in  the  time  of  Con- 
stantine,  the  christians  had  more  liberty,  so  they  grew 
more  ambitious;  for  then  the  bishops  began  first  to  think 
on  mitres,  who  before  time  thought  nothing  else  but  to  be 
martyrs  ;  and  now  no  less  would  satisfy  the  ambition  of 
the  bishop  of  Rome,  but  to  be  head  of  all  other  bishops. 

In  the  year  of  Christ  one  thousand,  religion  was 
wholly  decayed,  to  what  it  was  in  former  times ;  and 
from  the  year  three  hundred  to  that  tune,  many  dark 
institutions  and  ceremonies  were  set  up  in  the  church 
of  the  pretended  christians  ;  insomuch,  that  it  became 
midnight  for  darkness,  and  the  popes  began  to  draw 
their  swords  to  war  in  defence  of  Peter's  keys. 

And  now  Henry  the  fourth,  emperor,  attended  upon 
Hidlebrand,  with  his  wife  and  children,  bare-foot,  at  his 
palace- gate,  and  then  he  was  made  to  swear  unreasona- 
ble subjection  to  the  pope  in  all  things  ;  and  when  all 
^was  done,  the  pope  gave  away  his  crown  to  Redolph, 
duke  of  Swevia. 

The  emperor  this  while  sitting  quietly  at  home,  and 
considering  how  the  people  had  wrested  his  power,  in 
elections  of  popes,  investing  of  prelates,  Sec.  how  he  had 
robbed  all  nations  by  his  legates,  and  had  spread  discord 
in  his  empire ;  he  required  homage  and  oaths  of  allegi- 
ance of  all  his  bishops,  and  forbade  all  appeals  to 
Rome,  and  the  pope's  legates  to  enter  into  his  empire, 
without  being  sent  for.  Finally,  in  his  letters,  he  prefixed 
his  name  before  the  pope's.  Hereupon  the  pope  ^vrote  a 
rebuking  letter  to  the  emperor;  the  emperor  wrote  back, 
in  defence  of  his  doings,  an  apologetical  epistle  :  the 
pope  replied  with  a  bull  of  excommunication:  the  empe- 


90  THE    CORRUPT    FRUITS 

ror  made  answer  to  that,  with  accusatory  letters  against 
the  vileness,  pride,  &c.  of  the  see  of  Rome  ;  then  the 
pope  wrote  to  the  German  bishops  to  work  against  the 
emperor ;  but  they  wrote  excusing   the  emperor. 

This  pope,  towards  the  end  of  his  life,  (who  died  a- 
midst  these  broils,  being  choked  with  a  fly  as  he  was 
walking  abroad)  used  to  say,  that  there  was  not  a  more 
miserable  kind  of  life  than  to  be  a  pope. 

About  this  time,  William  the  first,  king  of  England, 
took  down  the  prelates  in  temporalities  in  England  ;  for 
Ik  ordained,  that  they  should  exercise  no  temporal  au- 
thority at  all,  but  rather  in  spirtualities ;  and  he  raised 
them,  as  may  be  seen  by  a  passage  between  Aldred, 
archbishop  of  York,  and  the  king ;  for  at  a  time,  upon 
the  repulse  of  a  certain  suit,  the  archbishop,  in  great  dis- 
contentment, offered  to  depart ;  when  the  king,  in  awe 
of  his  displeasure,  fell  down  at  his  feet,  desired  pardon, 
and  promised  to  grant  his  suit ;  the  king  all  this  while 
being  down  at  the  archbishop's  feet,  the  noblemen  that 
were  present,  put  him  in  mind,  that  he  should  cause  the 
king  to  rise  ;  nay,  said  the  archbishop,  let  him  alone,  let 
him  find  what  it  is  to  anger  Saint  Peter. 

About  this  time,  William  the  second,  king  of  Eng- 
land, claimed  the  making  of  bishops  to  be  his  right,  and 
forbade  appeals  and  intercourse  to  Rome  ;  for  appeals 
had  been  seldom  used,  till  Anselm,  in  this  king's  reign, 
appealed  to  the  pope,  upon  whose  complaint,  the  pope 
was  about  to  excommunicate  the  king,;  but  having  a  lit- 
tle before  excommunicated  the  emperor,  Henry  the 
fourth,  he  forbore  at  that  time  to  do  it,  lest  by  making  ex- 
communication common,  he  should  make  it  to  be  slighted  : 
at  this  time,  great  contention  arose  between  the  king  and 
archbishop  Anselm;  and  Anselm  not  yielding  to  the  king 
in  any  point  prejudicial  to  the  pope's  authority,  nor  the 
king  yielding  to  Anselm  in  any  point  prejudicial  to  his 
own  prerogative,  the  contention  continued  long  and  hot; 
Anselm  often  threatening  his  going  to  Rome,  the  king 
told  him  plainly,  he  would  not  trust  him  out  of  the  realm, 
but  if  he  would  go  without  his  leave,  he  would  then  keep 


OF    THE    FALSE     CHURCH.  91 

him  out  during  his  pleasure  ;  and  besides,  he  should  car- 
ry nothing  out  of  the  realm  with  him.  Yet  Anselm  ven- 
tured it,  and  the  king  performed  it ;  for  William  Warl- 
swast  was  sent  to  rifle  him  in  his  passage  at  sea  of  all  he 
had  ;  neither  was  he  suffered  to  return  as  long  as  the 
king  lived,  during  all  which  time,  the  king  took  all  the 
profits  of  his  archbishopric  to  his  own  use. 

At  this  time,  Henry  the  first,  being  king  of  England, 
at  his  first  coming  to  the  crown,  he  forbore  his  claim  to 
the  investitures  of  bishops ;  but  after  he  had  been  king 
some  time,  he  claimed  that  both  to  invest  bishops,  and 
to  allow  or  hinder  appeals  to  Rome,  belonged  to  him. 
In  these,  Anselm,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  was 
now  returned  into  England,  opposed  him,  affirming, 
that  both  of  them  belonged  to  the  pope.  The  conten- 
tion at  last  was  brought  to  the  pope,  to  whom  king 
Henry  sent  William  Warlsvvast,  elect  bishop  of  Exe- 
ter ;  who  saying  to  the  pope,  that  his  master  would  not, 
for  the  crown  of  his  realm,  lose  the  authority  of  invest- 
ing his  prelates  ;  the  pope  started  up,  and  answered, 
neither  will  I  lose  the  disposing  of  spiritual  promotions 
in  England,  for  the  king's  head  that  wears  the  crown  : 
before  God  I  avow  it.  So  the  contention  grew  long  and 
hot,  and  many  messengers  were  sent  to  and  fro  about  it. 
The  conclusion  was,  tiiat  the  king  should  receive  hom- 
age of  tlic  bishop  elect,  but  should  not  invest  them  by 
staff"  and  ring ;  to  which  the  king  said  nothing,  for  the 
present,  but  forbore  not  to  do  it  nevertheless  ;  for  five 
years  after  the  death  of  Anselm,  Ralph,  bishop  of  Roch- 
ester, was  by  the  king  made  archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
notwithstanding  all  the  pope's  threatenings. 

At  this  time,  there  being  two  popes  chosen  at  a  time, 
made  a  great  schism  and  tumult.  The  emperor,  to  qui- 
et them,  sent  for  them  to  appear  before  him.  Alexan- 
der being  one  that  was  chosen,  scorned  the  motion ; 
Victor  appeared ;  him,  therefore,  the  emperor  aided  to 
the  city,  and  settled  to  be  pope.  Alexander  fled  to 
France  and  Venice,  and  required  aid  against  the  empe- 
ror; at  last,  the  emperor  was  fain  to  submit  to  the 
pope,  who  putting  his  foot  upon  the  emperor's  neck^ 


92  THE    CORRUPT    TRUITS 

spoke  these  words.  *'  thou  shalt  walk  upon  the  adders 
and  basilisks,  and  shalt  tread  down  the  lion  and  dragon.  " 
Mean  while,  the  emperor  speaking  to  the  pope  from  un- 
der his  foot,  ''  not  to  ti.ee,  but  to  Peter  "  the  pope  an- 
swered, ''  both  to  me,  and  to  Peter."  Thus  the  empe- 
ror, having  subjected  himself,  promising  to  take  Alex- 
ander for  th'/  true  pope,  and  to  restore  all  that  he  had 
taken  from  Rome,  departed. 

Henry,  the  emperor,  was  crowned  (on  condition  of 
restoring  many  thivigs  to  Saint  Peter,  pretended  by  the 
pope  to  have  been  taken  away,)  the  pope  holding  the 
crown  between  his  feet,  and  so  the  emperor  stooping 
with  his  head  to  take  it  on,  the  pope  immediately,  with 
his  fool,  struck  it  off  again,  iniimating  his  power  to  de- 
pose him,  as  well  as  ro  crown  him  ;  the  cardinals  taking 
up  the  crown,  thus  kicked  off,  put  it  on  again. 

About  the  year  1216,  after  t-^e  death  of  Hubert,  arch- 
bish(;p  of  Canterbury,  the  monks  at  that  convent,  se- 
cretly in  the  night,  elected  one  Reginald,  their  sub- 
prior,  to  succeed  him,  and  caused  him  to  go  to  Rome 
for  confirmation  ;  but  afterwards  doubting  how  the  king 
would  take  it,  b?  ing  done  without  his  knovvledge,  they 
craved  leave  of  king  John  to  choose  a  fit  man  ;  the  king 
was  content  to  allow  them  the  election,  but  required 
himsrlf  to  have  the  nomination,  and  thereupon  com- 
mended unto  them  John  Gray,  bishop  of  Norwich, 
whom  he  had  especially  favoured,  and  accordingly  the 
monks  elected  him  ;  but  the  matter  being  afterward  re- 
ferred to  the  pope,  which  of  these  elections  should  stand 
good,  after  many  allegations  on  both  sides,  the  pope,  to 
shew  himself  indifferent  to  both,  disallowed  them  both, 
and  nominated  a  third  man,  one  Stephen  Langton,  an 
Englishman,  and  a  cardinal.  The  monks  admitted  him, 
but  the  king  opposed  it.  The  contest  grew  hot,  and  as  the 
pope  threatened  the  king  to  excommunicate  him,  and  to 
interdict  the  kingdom;  and  the  king  threatened  the  pope 
to  nullify  his  authority,  and  to  banish  the  clergymen  out 
of  the  realm;  and  the  pope  acted  as  much  as  he  threaten- 
ed: for  he  interdicted  the  kingdom;  so  the  king  per- 
formed as  much  as  he  had  spoken;    for  he  drov:e  the 


OF    THE   FALSE   CHURCH.  93 

monks  out  of  the  cloisters  ;  yet  at  last,  when  the  pope's 
legate  came  into  England,  he  told  the  king  in  what  great 
danger  he  stood  ;  first,  of  the  king  of  France  by  invasion, 
and  then  of  his  own  subjects  by  rebellion,  for  both  which, 
there  was  no  other  help,  but  reconcilement  with  the 
pope  :  this  so  touched  him  to  the  quick,  that  he  made 
him  leave  his  great  words,  and  fall  to  ask  him  forgive- 
ness ;  and  taking  off  his  crown  from  his  head,  he  laid  it 
down  at  tb.e  legate's  feet,  to  be  disposed  of  as  the  pope 
should  please,  and  the  legate  stuck  not  to  take  up  his 
crown,  and  to  keep  it  three  or  four  days  in  his  hands  be- 
fore he  restored  it  ;  and  did  not  then,  neither,  but  upon 
condition,  that  he  and  his  successors  should  hold  the  king- 
dom of  the  see  of  Rome,  at  the  annual  tribute  of  a  tiiou- 
sand  marks. 

This  king  John  was  shortly  after  poisoned  by  one  Si- 
mon a  monk,  who  v/as  absolved  of  his  abbot  before 
hand,  for  doing  this  act.  To  accomplish  his  design,  he 
found  a  toad  in  the  garden,  and  pricked  him  with  a  pen- 
knife until  he  made  him  vomit  up  all  his  poison,  which 
he  having  conveyed  into  a  cup  of  wine,  began  to  the  king 
with  a  smiling  countenance,  speaking  these  words  :  ^'  if 
it  shall  please  your  princely  majesty,  here  is  such  a  cup 
of  wine,  as  you  never  drank  a  better  ;  I  trust  this  was- 
sail shall  make  all  England  glad  :''  the  king  having 
drunk,  and  anon  being  ill,  inquired  for  Simon  the  monk; 
to  whom  some  answered,  that  he  was  departed  this  life, 
the  king  replied,  then  God  have  mercy  on  my  soul ;  and 
so  he  died,  much  repenting  of  his  former  life. 

About  this  time,  several  persons  were  stirred  up  by  the 
Lord,  to  declare  against  the  pope  as  an  Heretic,  and  were 
by  him  condemned  for  their  pains,  viz.  Arnoldus,  Jo- 
hannes, Semeca,  Gulielmus  de  Santo  amore,  Callus,  and 
Grosthead,  great  writers  against  the  pope's  decrees,  giv- 
ing many  signs  of  false  teachers  ;  of  whom  see  more  in 
the  testimonies  of  the  martyrs. 

The  pope  being  at  variance  with  the  emperor,  Fred- 
erick the  second,  would  not  on  any  terms  be  reconciled, 
though  the  king  of  France  strongly  interceded,  and  the 
emperor  cleared  himself  of  all  imputation,  and  offered  full 


94  THE    CORRUPT    PRtflTS 

satisfa  ction  for  all  pretended  wrongs,  and  to  go  out  of  his 
empire  (if  the  pope  would  not  endure  him  there)  to  the 
holy  land,  never  to  return  into  Europe  again,  so  as  his  son 
Henry,  nephew  to  king  Henry,  of  England,  might  suc- 
ceed him ;  with  oifers  of  other  most  reasonable  condi- 
tions. 

And  thus,  having  given  a  brief  relation  of  the  most 
material  passages  in  the  affairs  of  the  pretended  christian 
church  till  this  time  ;  I  shall  now  proceed  to  give  a  dis- 
covery of  the  beginning  and  proceedings  of  the  monks, 
friars,  and  Jesuits,  who  now  began  to  sw^arm  in  the  apos- 
tatized church  of  the  papists. 

•  We  read,  that  many  religious  men  lieretofore,  con- 
temning tie  world,  and  all  the  pomp,  pride,  and  vanity 
thereof,  withdrew  themselves,  into  the  wilderness  and 
desert  places,  in  Syria,  Egypt,  and  otlier  countries,  it 
being  in  the  time  of  great  persecution,  to  the  end  they 
might  the  better,  (being  not  troubled  with  worldly  cares 
and  encumbrances,)  bestow  their  time  in  reading  th« 
scriptures,  fasting,  praying,  meditating,  and  such  divine 
exercises,  whereof  Paul,  sirnamed  the  first  hermit,  An- 
thony, Hilarion,  Basil,  and  Jerome,  were  the  first  and 
chiefest  among  the  christians,  who,  for  their  sanctity  in 
life,  were  in  those  days  had  in  great  honor  ;  for  then  this 
kind  of  life  was  simple  and  free,  and  not  bound  or  tied  to 
unlaw^ful  vows  and  ridiculous  ceremonies,  as  afterwards 
came  to  be  observed  by  such  as  were  called  monks  and 
friars;  their  habit  was  then  homely,  and  yet  decent,  as  eve- 
ry man  was  best  pleased  to  wear;  neither  were  they  bound 
to  abide  or  remain  in  any  one  particular  place,  nor  tied  to 
one  kind  of  life  by  vow,  but  free  to  stay  where  they  lik- 
ed best,  or  to  go  into  any  city  or  country  where  they 
would,  at  their  own  pleasure  :  they  sought  out  the  most 
desert  place  that  they  could  find,  that  is,  in  the  wilderness, 
working  with  their  hands,  and  getting  their  living  by  the 
sweat  of  their  brow,  and  gave  a  singular  good  example 
to  all  men  to  live  virtuously  and  godly,  instructing  their 
flimilies,  and  others  that  resorted  unto  them,  to  lead  a 
godly  and  christian  life  ;  and  were  admired  and  honour- 
ed of  all  good  men  for  their  doctrine,  integrity  of  life,  and 


OF   THE   FALSE   CHURC«.  95 

godly  zeal ;  for  as  yet,  the  christians  had  but  one  law  and 
one  religion,  which  afterwards  fell  out  otherwise,  to  the 
grief  and  sorrow  of  the  upright  among  them,  to  see  what 
rents  and  divisions,  sects  and  factions,  superstitions  and 
ceremonies,  were  brought  in  amongst  them,  although 
good  stirrings  there  might  be  araongst  these  that  lived 
this  private  life. 

Their  successors  and  imitators  were  far  from  being  like 
them,for  the  words  of  Philo,  cried  by  Euschius,are  these; 
**nowlet  ourmonks,"  saith  he,  "  who  live  like  kings,  who 
swim  in  all  manner  of  delights  and  pleasures,  who  affect 
nothing  more  than  promotion  and  honour,  and  whose 
chiefest  care  and  study  are  to  gather  wealth  and  to  hoard 
up  gold,  silver,  Sec." 

About  this  time  several  sects  of  monks  began  to  spread 
forth  out  of  the  order  of  Benedictus  :  their  habit  was,  to 
wear  a  black  loose  coat  of  stuff,  reaching  down  to  their 
heels,  with  a  cowle  or  hood  to  cover  their  bald  heads, 
hanging  down  to  their  shoulders  ;  and  under  that  coat, 
another  white  habit  as  large  as  the  former  :  they  shave 
the  hairs  off  their  heads,  except  one  little  round  circle, 
which  they  call  corona  ;  they  are  bound  to  abstain  from 
flesh,  unless  it  be  when  they  are  sick  :  these  Benedictine 
monks  would  have  the  world  believe,  that  they  are  godly 
and  religious  men,  and  would  not  be  ranked  with  the  Jesu- 
its, who  were  statesmen,  for  they  (poor  monks)  meddle 
,not  with  matters  of  state,  or  with  kings'  affairs.  But  not- 
withstanding their  counterfeit  holiness,  an  English  Bene- 
dictine monk  of  Swinsted  abbey,  poisoned  king  John,  as  is 
before  related;  for  which  fact,  he  was,  and  still  is  highly 
honoured  by  all  papists  in  general ;  and  one  said  of  him 
thus:  "rcgemperimcre  meritoriumratus  est:"  bethought 
it  a  meritorious  deed  to  kill  the  king. 

About  this  time,  began  to  peep  out  another  sect  of 
monks,  called  Montelinetences,  at  the  time  when  there 
were  three  several  popes  living  who  troubled  all  Christen- 
dom for  their  Papacy.  The  institutor  of  this  family  of 
monks,  was  one  Bernardus  Ptolomeus.  They  lived,  at 
the  first,  at  Sienna  in  Italy,  but  afterwards  (having  gath- 
ered their  crumbs  togetlicr)  tlu-y  built  an  abbey   on  the 


96  THE    CORRUPT    FRUITS 

top  of  an  hill  not  far  from  thence  ;  and  they  wore  a  white 
habit.  This  family  was  approved  by  pope  Gregory  the 
twelfth. 

The  Bethlemite  friars  began  in  1257.  Their  first  dwel- 
ling was  at  Cambridge  ;  and  their  habit  was  like  the  Do- 
minican friars,  saving  these  wore  a  star  on  their  breast, 
wrought  upon  their  habit,  in  memorial  of  the  star  which 
appeared  at  the  time  that  Christ  was  born  at  Bethlehem. 
There  started  up  so  many  sects  of  monks,  friars,  and 
nuns,  at  this  time,  in  England,  that  the  Commonwealth 
was  so  oppressed  and  exhausted  by  them,  that  it  was  not 
able  to  satisfy  their  exhorbitant  and  greedy  desires. 

The  monks,  called  Praenionstratensis  descended,  down 
from  heaven  (as  they  themselves  brag)  in  the  bishopric 
of  Lodan,  at  a  place,  which  they  call  Praemonstratum. 
The  author  of  tnis  order  was  Northbertus,  a  priest,  born 
in  Lorain,  who  patched  up  an  order,  or  rule,  for  his  new- 
begotten  monks,  out  of  Augustin's  rule,  which  was  after- 
wards approved  and  confirmed  by  pope  Calixtus  the  se- 
cond ;  they  wore  a  long  white  cloth  coat,  open  before, 
and  a  linen  surplice  over,  and  over  that  a  long  white 
cloak,  a  corner  cap  or  hat  (when  they  go  abroad)  of  the 
same  colour,  and  underneath  all  doublets,  breeches,  lin- 
en shirts,  shoes,  and  white  stockings.  These  monks  have 
lands  and  revenues  to  maintain  themselves,  and  are  rich 
wheresoever  they  live.  This  sect  began  about  the  year 
1170,  and  had  abbeys  in  England. 

About  this  time  appeared  first  in  England,  the  order 
of  crutched  friars  ;  this  order  is  more  ancient  than  all  the 
former  orders,  if  the  reader  will  believe  them,  for  they 
say,  that  Ciitus,  Peter's  disciple,  the  third  bishop  of 
Rome  after  him,  was  warned  by  an  angel,  to  build  for 
him  an  house,  to  entertain  all  those  that  fled  thither  for 
the  christian  religion's  sake,  which  he  with  all  speed  per- 
formed; so  that,  in  a  short  time  many  godly  men  repaired 
thither,  and  were  entertained,  who,  for  many  years  after 
bore  a  cross  in  their  hands,  in  memorial  of  the  death  of 
Christ.  A  thing  unlike  to  be  true,  that  Ciitus  should  be 
warned  by  an  angel,  to  build  an  house  for  a  company  of 
lazy  friers,  to  entertain  all  those  that  fled  to  Rome  for  the 


OF    THE     FALSE     CHURCH.  97 

christian  religion's  sake,  whereas  the  very  names  of  monks 
and  friars  were  not  then,  or  many  hundred  years  after, 
either  known  or  heard  of  in  the  ciairch  of  God,  and  with 
all,  the  persecution  was  then  so  great  in  Rome,  that  the 
saints  themselves  were  constrained  to  forsake  the  city, 
and  therefore  it  is  not  creditable,  that  christians  should 
fly  thither  for  relief.  Pope  Pius  commanded  these  fri- 
ars to  wear  a  sky- coloured  habit,  but  now  this  order 
wear  black,  and  a  cross  of  red  cloth  or  scarlet,  fixed  to 
their  habit  on  their  breast ;  they  likewise  live  by  their 
lands  and  revenues.  They  had  a  monastery  heretofore  at 
Tower-hill,  which  is  now  put  to  a  better  use,  being  built 
up  into  tenements. 

In  the  time  of  pope  Innocent  the  third,  the  Trinitarian 
friars  began  to  shew  themselves  to  the  world.  One  Johan- 
nes Matta,  and  one  Felix  Anchorita,  who  lived  a  solita- 
ry life  in  France,  were  warned  in  their  sleep,  (as  they  re- 
port) to  repair  to  Rome  to  the  pope,  and  to  seek  for  a 
place  for  him  to  build  a  cloister  ;  and  this  pope  (as  they 
say)  was  warned  in  a  vision  to  entertain  them,  which  he 
did,  and  ordained,  that  they  should  wear  a  white  habit, 
with  a  red  and  sky-coloured  cross  wrought  on  their 
breast.  Their  charge  was  to  go  and  gather  money 
to  redeem  christiai^s,  that  were  captives  under  the 
Turks,  and  were  called  monks  of  the  redemption  of  cap- 
tives,  but  instead  of  redeeming  captives,  they  purchased 
*  lands  with  the  money  they  gathered  ;  so  that  the  captives, 
if  they  had  no  reward  from^  Christ  for  suffering  for  his 
sake,  were  like  to  have  no  redemption  from  these 
friars. 

Bridget,  of  Sweethland,  being  a  widow,  did  institute  an 
order  of  friars  and  nuns,  and  coming  herself  to  Rome, 
obtained  of  pope  Urban  the  fifth,  a  confirmation  of  the 
same  order  or  institution,  that  both  sexes  should  live  to- 
gether in  one  cloister,  having  a  wall  between  them,  and 
that  the  nuns  should  lie  in  the  uppermost  chambers,  and 
the  friars  underneath  them. 

The  next  is  the  Minorite  friars.  They  wear  a  morish- 
coloured  habit,  and  never  eat  fiesh,  butter  or  ch^^ese,  but 
feed  on  the  best  fish,  and  oil,  the  finest  bread  and  purest 

n 

I 


98  THE    CORRUPT    JRUITS 

wine,  the  best  spices,  fruit,  herbs,  and  roots,  that  they 
can  buy  for  their  money.  They  had  a  cloister  built  for 
them,  at  Barkhempsted  in  England,  in  the  year  1257. 

The  Mendicant,  or  begging  friars  wear  a  long  white 
coat  of  cloth  down  to  their  heels,  all  loose,  Avith  a  cowle 
or  hood  of  the  same,  when  they  are  in  their  cloisters; 
when  they  go  abroad,  they  wear  another  black  coat  over 
the  other,  with  another  cowle  ;  both  their  coats  are  then 
bound  close  to  their  bodies,  with  a  broad  leather  girdle 
or  belt,  which  girdle  is  a  very  holy  thing  (if  they  may  be 
believed)  for  they  call  it  St.  Austin's  girdle,  and  many 
lame  people  wear  it  for  pure  devotion's  sake,  looking 
upon  it  to  have  some  singular  virtue  in  it;  diis  leather  belt 
is  given  to  none  but  those  that  are  special  benefactors, 
and  such  as  pay  dearly  for  it,  which  brings  them  in  no 
small  benefit. 

The  next  is  the  Carmelite  friars  :  that  is,  friars  of  the 
order  of  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary,  of  mount  Carmel. — 
Their  first  appearance  in  the  world  was  in  the  year  1270  ; 
at  first  they  were  ordained  to  wear  a  party-coloured  hab- 
it, white  and  red,  made  in  the  form  of  a  man,  the  which 
they  then  dreamed  to  be  like  unto  that  which  Elias  used 
to  w^ear  ;  but  afterwards  pope  Honorius  forbid  them 
to  wear  that  habit,  as  being  not  well  befitting  their  pro- 
fession, and  therefore  a  black  long  habit  and  a  cowle  was 
given  them,  and  over  that  a  long  white  robe  or  cloak,  as 
best  agreeing  with  virginity. 

Another  sort  is  the  Franciscan,  or  gray  friars,  of  whom 
it  is  said,  they  would  not  touch  any  money,  and  made  a 
show,  as  if  they  abstained  from  all  flesh,  and  did  eat 
nothing  but  raw  herbs  and  roots,  and  wore  wooden 
clogs  instead  of  shoes,  railing  against  other  friars,  who 
^possessed  money,  and  eat  meat,  wore  shoes  and 
stockings,  &c.  But  these  did  not  long  persevere  in  this 
austere  life,  their  delight  being  to  fare  deliciously. 

There  is  a  sort  of  these  Franciscans,  called  Penitenti- 
arians  :  they  w^ear  no  linen,  as  they  say,  neither  doublet, 
breeches  nor  hose,  except  a  little  pair  of  linen  drawers 
to  save  their  skin  from  their  coarse  habit;  instead  of  shoes, 
they   Wear  wooden   clogs,   which  are  under   their  feet. 


OF    THE    FALSE    CHURCH.  99 

bound  over  with  leather  straps,  their  habit  is  made  of  a 
very  coarse  cloth,  and  close  before,  reaching  down  to 
their  heels,  with  a  cowle  close  to  their  head  made  of  the 
same,  and  also  a  gray  rope  made  of  hair,  full  of  knots, 
instead  of  a  girdle  about  their  loins  ;  they  never  ride, 
but  go  a  foot,  when  they  travel ;  they  have  a  pair  of  great 
wooden  beads,  with  a  wooden  cross  tied  to  their  gir- 
dle before  them  :  if  these  Franciscan  friars  may  be  be- 
lieved, tliey  say,  all  that  they  wear  about  them  is  holy ; 
yea,  all  that  they  eat,  drink  or  touch  is  sanctified  ;  their 
cowle,  habit,  sandals,  and  especially  their  knotty 
girdles,  they  say,  have  many  virtues,  and  therefore  they 
have  no  small  profit  from  the  lay -people,  that  they  may 
wear  them. 

The  origin  of  the  society  of  Jesuits  is  but  of  a  new 
institution,  whereof  the  founder  was  one  Ignatius 
Loyala,  born  in  Spain,  who  had  been  a  soldier,  and 
was  hurt  on  both  of  his  knees,  and  halted  ever  after  : 
his  order  was  confirmed  by  Paul  the  third,  in  the  year 
1504,  and  himself  sanctified  by  pope  Paul  the  fifth  in  the  year 
1622,  not  for  his  holiness  and  sanctity  of  life,  but  for  an 
infinite  sum  of  money  given  unto  the  pope  by  the  Jesu- 
its ;  and  withal,  because  the  duke  of  Bavaria  (by  the 
wicked  practice,  and  policy  of  his  children  the  Jesuits, 
and  the  help  of  the  king  of  Spain)  had  taken  the  Palati- 
nate from  the  prince  elector,  the  true  and  lawful  owner 
thereof  :  this  Ignatius,  ordained  that  all  those  of  this  so- 
ciety, should  call  themselves  Jesuits,  or  patres  societatis 
Jesu  ;  fathers  of  the  society  of  Jesus. 

Valderama  preached,  that  when  this  St.  Ignatius  re- 
solved to  quit  the  soldier's  life,  the  very  walls  of  the 
house  wherein  he  then  was,  shook,  the  beams  and  posts 
trembled ;  all  that  were  in  it  betook  themselves  to 
Right,  and  ran  out  of  doors  as  fast  as  they  could  : 
even  as  when  a  strange  eruption  of  fire  sudden- 
ly breaks  out  in  some  high  mountain  ;  so  when  interior 
fire  began  to  be  discovered  in  him,  who  before  was  cold 
and  frozen,  as  to  religion,  it  lightened  forth  in  such  sort, 
that  it  caused  a  thousand  amazements,  a  thousand  firing 
of  houses,  &c.   there   was   never  any  /Etna,  or  fiammg 


100  THE     CORRUPT    JRUITS 

mountain,  that  did  the  Uke  ;  thus  far  are  the   words  of 
Valderama. 

And  further  the  reader  may  see  what  ignorance 
was  among  the  papists  at  this  time,  for  the  heathen  peo- 
ple heretofore  had  many  Gods,  and  every  one  of  them 
had  his  distinct  office,  as  Apollo  was  the  God  of  wisdom  ; 
Mars  of  wars  ;  iEolus  of  the  winds ;  Neptune  of  the 
seas,  &c.  the  papists  have  many  saints  which  they  hohour, 
and  every  one  hath  his  several  charge  assigned  unto 
him  ;  as  St.  Anthony  for  swine  and  for  fire  ;  St.  Roch 
to  cure  the  plague,  and  sheep  ;  St.  Lucy  for  the  tooth- 
ach  ;  St.  Petronal  for  the  fever  ;  St.  Martin  for  the  itch  ; 
St.  Valentine  for  lovers  ;  St.  Crispine  for  shoe-makers ; 
St.  Clement  for  bakers,  brewers  and  victuallers ;  St.  Se- 
bastine  for  archers  ;  St.  Nicholas  for  butchers  ;  and  iua» 
ny  more. 


*J.M  HIILU>  WHM.*l"W  «l  1  JIMI  JUMAMjaL'  ■  ■  >  If  H  IIJU»_U«t.'.!— !■  ■UIIH  UW  W^  J   ■  I 


AN 


ABRIDGMENT 


OF 


THE  BOOK  OF  MARTYRS 


AN 

ABRIDGMENT 

OF 

THE  BOOK  OF  MARTYRS 


The  history  of  the  persecutions^  and  great  sufferings  sus- 
tained by  the  faithful  servants  of  the  Lord  both  before 
and  after  the  Jews^  apostacy,  and  before  the  coining  of 
Christ. 

The  great  enemy  to  all  mankind  is  that  wicked  spirit  of 
persecution,  which  moved  Cain  against  his  righteous  broth- 
er Abel:  the  Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel,  and  to  his  offer- 
ing ;  but  unto  Cain,  and  to  his  offering  he  had  not  respect : 
and  Cain  rose  up  against  Abel  his  brother,  and  slew  him: 
and  the  Lord  said  unto  Cain,  where  is  Abel  thy  brother  ? 
Andhe  said,  I  know  not:  and  the  Lord  said,  a  fugitive  and 
^  a  vagabond  shalt  thou  be  in  the  earth.  And  Cain  said  un- 
to the  Lord,  my  punishment  is  greater  than  I  can  bear. 

And  Pharaoh  afflicted  the  people  of  God  a  long  time, 
which  grieved  the  good  spirit  of  God  in  his  people  ;  but 
they  cried  out  to  die  Lord  in  their  oppressions  ;  for  the 
Egyptians  made  the  childen  of  Israel  to  serve  with  rig- 
our ;  and  they  made  their  lives  bitter  with  hard  bondage  ; 
the  king  commanding  the  midwives  to  slay  all  the  male 
children,  yet  the  Lord  delivered  his  people  out  of  all  these 
afflictions  with  a  mighty  hand  ;  and  he  poured  out  his 
judgments  upon  Pharaoh,  and  upon  the  Egyptians  that 
oppressed  his  people  ;  and  he  set  his  people  free  ;  for 
while  the  people  of  God  had  a  sense  of  their  bondage  and 
sufferings,  and  cried  unto  the  Lord,  through  the  multi- 
tude of  their  oppressions,  the  Lord  heard  and  answered 


104  PERSECUTIONS    BEFORE    THE 

them,  and  delivered  them  by  the  hand  of  his  servant 
Moses,  by  whom  he  gave  them  laws,  which  they  were  to 
obey  and  which  they  submitted  to.  Then  God  was  with 
them  as  a  mighty  defence,  and  in  this  time  of  sufferings, 
they  kept  nigh  to  the  Lord,  and  he  was  with  them,  and 
was  a  rock  of  defence  unto  them. 

And  because  Mordecai,  the  servant  of  the  Lord,  could 
not  bow,  nor  do  reverence  to  proud  Human,  Haman  was 
full  of  wrath,  and  he  thought  scorn  to  lay  hands  on  Mor- 
decai alone  ;  wherefore  he  sought  to  destroy  all  the  Jews 
that  were  throughout  the  whole  kingdom  of  Ahasuerus, 
even  the  people  of  Mordecai.  And  Haman  said  unto 
king  Ahasuerus,  there  is  a  certain  people  scattered  abroad, 
and  dispersed  among  the  people  in  all  the  provinces  of 
thy  kingdom,  and  their  laws  are  diverse  from  all  people, 
neither  keep  they  the  king's  laws  ;  therefore  it  is  not  for 
the  king's  profit  to  suffer  them  :  if  it  please  the  king,  let 
it  be  written  that  they  may  be  destroyed,  and  I  will  pay 
ten  thousand  talents  of  silver.  And  the  king  said,  the  sil- 
ver is  given  to  thee, and  the  people  also,  todo  with  them  as 
seemeth  good  to  thee.  And  letters  were  sent  to  the  ru- 
lers of  all  the  provinces  to  destroy  all,  both  young  and 
old,  little  children,  and  women,  and  to  take  the  spoil  of 
them  for  a  prey.  Thus  this  proud  persecutor  endeavour- 
ed to  destroy  this  people,  had  not  queen  Esther  made 
supplication  to  the  king  on  their  behalf,  and  by  that 
means,  a  stop  was  put  to  the  wicked  design  ;  and  he  was 
hanged  on  the  gallows  that  he  prepared  for  Mordecai. 

Jezebel  cut  off  the  prophets  of  the  Lord  ;  but  Obadi- 
ah  (who  was  governor  of  Ahab's  house)  being  one  that 
feared  the  Lord  greatly,  took  an  hundred  of  the  proph- 
ets, and  hid  them  by  fifty  in  a  cave,  and  fed  them  with 
bread  and  water. 

Ahab  persecuted  Elijah,  and  said  to  him,  art  thou  he 
that  troubleth  Israel  ?  He  answered  I  have  not  troubled 
Israel,  but  thou  and  thy  father's  house,  in  that  you  have 
forsaken  the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  and  thou  hast 
followed  Baalam. 

Jezebel  persecuted  Elijah,  so  that  he  fled  into  the  v.iK 
derness. 


COMING    OF    CHRIST.  105 

Manasses  persecuted  the  prop;iet  Isaiah  for  reproving 
him,  and  caused  him  to  be  sawn  asunder  with  a  woodcri 
saw. 

Jeremiah  was  persecuted  for  declaring  the  word  of  the 
Lord  to  all  the  cities  of  Judah,  and  for  saying,  *'  thus  saith 
the  Lord,  if  ye  will  not  hearken  to  me,  to  walk  in  my  law, 
which  I  have  set  before  you,  &:c.  then  will  I  make  this 
house  like  Shiloh.  and  will  make  this  city  a  curse  to  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth,"  and  all  the  people  were  gather- 
red  against  him  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  the  priests 
and  prophets  said  unto  the  princes  and  people,  ''  ti.is  man 
is  worthy  to  die,  for  he  hath  prophesied  against  this  city.'^ 
Jeremiah  said,  "  the  Lord  sent  me  to  prophesy  against 
this  house,  and  against  this  city." 

*'  As  for  me,"  (saith  he)  "  behold,  I  am  in  your  hand,  do 
with  me  as  seemeth  good  and  meet  unto  you  :  but  know 
for  certain,  that  if  ye  put  me  to  death,  ye  shall  sure- 
ly bring  innocent  blood  upon  yourselves,  and  upon  thii* 
city." 

And  Jeremiah  was  shut  up  in  the  court  of  the  prison^ 
which  was  in  the  king  of  Judah's  house. 

And  the  princes  were  wroth  with  Jeremiah,  and  smote 
him,  and  put  him  into  a  dungeon. 

Nebuchadnezzar  persecuted  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abednego,  because  they  would  not  bow  to  the  golden 
image  he  had  set  up.  The  king  told  them,  that  if  they 
would  not  worship  the  image  Vv^hich  he  had  made,  they 
should  be  cast  into  the  burning  fiery  furnace.  They  an- 
swered, *'  O  Nebuchadnezzar,  we  are  not  careful  to  an- 
swer thee  in  this  matter  ;  if  it  be  so,  our  God  whom  we 
serve  is  able  to  deliver  us  from  the  burning  fiery  furnace  ; 
and  he  will  deliver  us  out  of  thy  hand,  O  l^ing  ;  but  if  not, 
be  it  known  unto  thee,  O  king,  v/e  will  not  serve  thy  gods, 
&c."  Then  was  he  fuUof  fury,  and  commanded  the  furnacs 
to  be  heated  seven  times  more  than  it  was  wont  to  be, 
and  commanded  that  they  should  be  bound  with  their 
hats  and  coats  on,  and  cast  into  it ;  but  the  Lord  pre- 
served them  in  the  flames,  so  that  the  fire  had  no  power 
over  them. 


i06  PERSECUTIONS    BEFORE    THE 

The  princes  under  Darius  also  persecuted  the  proph- 
et Daniel,  against  whom  they  confessed  they  could  find 
no  occasion,  except  it  were  concerning  the  law  of  his 
God  ;  wherefore,  they  persuaded  the  king  to  make  a  de- 
cree, that  whosoever  should  ask  a  petition  of  God  or  man 
for  thirty  days,  save  of  the  king,  should  be  cast  into  the 
den  of  lions  :  but  Daniel,  as  he  did  afore-time,  opened  his 
windows  towards  Jerusalem,  and  kneeled  down,  and 
prayed,  and  gave  thanks  before  his  God  ;  of  which  these 
persecutors  acquainted  the  king  ;  then  the  king  com- 
manded,  and  they  cast  Daniel  into  the  den  of  lions,  but 
the  Lord  preserved  him  that  the  lions  hurt  him  not,  be- 
cause he  believed  in  his  God ;  which  the  king  hearing 
of,  caused  Daniel  to  be  taken  up  out  of  the  den,  and 
commanded  them  that  were  his  persecutors  to  be  cast 
into  it,  which  was  done,  and  they  were  soon  destroyed. 


The  constancy  and  faithful  suffering  of  some  of  the  anciejit 
people  of  the  Jews,  rather  than  they  would  be  forced  to 
depart  from  the  laws  of  their  Jathersy  and  to  live  con^ 
trary  to  the  laws  of  God* 

Eleazer,  one  of  the  principal  scribes,  an  aged  man, 
and  of  a  well-favoured  countenance,  was  constrained  to 
open  his  mouth,  and  to  eat  swines'  flesh  ;  but  he  choos- 
ing rather  to  die  gloriously,  than  to  live  stained  with 
such  an  abomination,  spit  it  forth,  and  came  of  his  own 
accord  to  the  torment,  as  it  behoved  them  to  come,  that 
are  resolved  to  stand  out  against  such  things  as  are  not 
lawful,  for  love  of  life,  to  be  tasted  :  but  they  that  had 
the  charge  of  that  wicked  feast,  for  the  old  acquaintance 
they  had  with  the  man,  taking  him  aside,  besought  him 
to  bring  flesh  of  his  own  provision,  such  as  w^as  lawful  for 
him  to  use,  and  make  as  if  he  did  eat  of  the  flesh  taken 
from  the  sacrifice  commanded  by  the  king ;  that  in  so  do- 
ing, he  might  be  delivered  from  death,  and  from  the  old 
friendship  with  them,  find  favour.  But  he  began  to  con- 
sider  discreetly,  and  as  became  his  age,  and  the  excel- 
lency of  his  ancient  years,  and  the   honor  of  his  grey 


COMING     OF    CHRIST.  107 

head,  whereunto  he  v/as  come,  and  his  most  honest  edu- 
cation from  a  child,  or  rather  the  holy  law  made  and  giv- 
en by  God  ;  therefore,  he  answered  accoiidingly,  and 
willed  them  straightway  to  send  him  to  the  grave  :  "for 
it  becometh  not  our  age  (said  he)  in  any  wise  to  dissem- 
ble, whereby  many  young  persons  might  think  that  El- 
eazer,  being  fourscore  years  old  and  ten,  was  now  gone 
to  a  strange  religion,  and  so  they,  through  my  hypocrisy, 
and  desire  to  live  a  litde  time  longer,  should  be  deceived 
by  me,  and  I  get  a  stain  to  my  old  age,  and  make  it  a- 
bominable  ;  for  though,  for  the  present  time,  I  should  be 
delivered  from  the  punishment  of  men,  yet  should  I  not 
escape  the  hand  of  the  Almighty,  either  alive,  or  dead  ; 
wherefore,  now  manfully  changing  this  life,  I  will  shew 
myself  such  an  one  as  mine  age  requireth,  and  leave  a 
notable  example  to  such  as  be  young,  to  die  willingly  and 
courageously  for  the  honourable  and  holy  laws."  And 
when  iie  had  said  those  words,  immediately  he  went  to 
the  torment ;  -rfiey  that  led  him  changing  the  good-will 
they  bore  him  a  little  before  into  hatred,  because  ti:ie  a- 
foresaid  speeches  proceeded,  as  they  thought,  from  a  des- 
perate mind.  But  wher^^he  was  ready  to  die  with  stripes, 
he  groaned,  and  said,  "  it  is  manifest  unto  the  Lord, 
that  hath  the  holy  knowledge,  that  whereas  I  might  have 
been  delivered  from  death,  I  now  endure  sore  pains  in 
body,  by  being  beaten,  but  in  soul  am  well  content  to  suf- 
fer these  things,  because  I  fear  him."  And  thus  this 
man  died,  leaving  his  death  for  an  example  of  a  noble 
courage,  and  a  memorial  of  virtue,  not  only  unto  young 
men,  but  unto  all  his  nation. 


The  constancy  and  cruel  death  of  seven  brethren  and  their 
mother  in  one  daijy  because  they  would  not  eat  swuies' 
fiesh  at  the  ki?tg^s  commandment* 

Seven  brethren,  with  their  mother,  were  taken,  and 
compelled  by  the  king,  against  the  law,  to  taste  swines' 
flesh,  and  were  tormented  with  scourges  and  whips  ;  but 


108  PERSECUTIONS    BEFORE     THE 

one  of  them  that  spake  first,  said  thus,  *'  what  wouldst 
thou  ask  or  learn  of  us  ?  We  are  ready  to  die,  rather 
than  to  transgress  the  laws  of  our  fathers  ;  then  the  king, 
being  in  a  rage,  commanded  pans  and  caldrons  to  be 
made  hot,  which  fortliwith  being  heated,  he  commanded 
to  cut  out  the  tongue  of  him  that  spake  first,  and  to  cut 
off  the  utmost  parts  of  his  body,  the  rest  of  his  brethren, 
and  his  mother  looking  on.  When  he  was  thus  maimed 
in  all  his  members,  he  commanded  him,  being  yet  alive, 
to  be  brought  to  the  fire,  and  to  be  fried  in  the  pan  ;  and 
as  the  vapour  of  the  pan  was  for  a  good  space  dispersed, 
they  exhorted  one  another,  with  the  mother,  to  die  nnm- 
fully,  saying  thus  ;  "  the  Lord  Gcd  looketh  upon  us,  and 
in  truth  hath  comfort  in  us  ;  as  Moses,  in  his  song, 
which  witnessed  to  their  faces,  declared,  saying,  "  and 
he  shall  be  comforted  in  his  servants."  So  when  the 
first  was  dead,  after  this  manner,  they  brought  t^e  se- 
cond to  make  a  mocking  stock  ;  and  when  they  had 
pulled  oft  the  skin  of  his  head  with  the  hair,  they  asked 
him,  ''  wilt  thou  eat,  before  thou  be  punished  through- 
out every  member  of  thy  body  ?  But  he  answered  in  his 
own  language,  and  said,  no  ;  wherefore,  he  also  receiv- 
ed the  next  torment,  in  order  as  the  former  did  ;  and 
when  he  was  at  the  last  gasp,  he  said  ;  ''  thou,  like  a  fu- 
ry, tnkest  us  out  of  this  present  life,  but  the  king  of  the 
world  shall  raise  us  up,  who  have  died  for  his  laws,  unto 
everlasting  lif  ."  After  him,  \¥as  the  third  made  a  m.ock- 
ing  stock  ;  and  when  he  was  required,  le  put  out  his 
tongue,  and  that  soon,  holding  forth  his  hands  manful- 
ly, and  said  courageously  ;  "  these  1  had  from  Heaven, 
and  for  his  laws,  1  despise  them  ;  and  from  him  I  hope  to 
receive  tl  em  again  ;  insomuch,  that  the  king,  and  they 
that  were  with  him,  marvelled  at  the  young  man's  cour- 
age ;  for  he  did  not  regard  the  pains.  Now,  when  this 
man  was  dead  also,  they  tormented  and  mangled  the  fourth 
in  like  manner  ;  so  when  he  was  ready  to  die,  he  said 
thus  :  ''  it  is  good  being  put  to  death  by  men,  to  look 
for  hope  from  God,  to  be  raised  up  again  by  him  ;  as  for 
thee,  thou  shalt  have  no  resurrection  to  life."  After- 
wards, they  brought  the  fifth  also,    and   mangled  him  ; 


COMING     OF      CHRIST.  100 

then  looked  he  unto  the  king,  and  said,  *'  thou  hast  pow- 
er over  men  ;  thou  art  corruptible  ;  thou  dost  what  thou 
wilt ;  yet,  think  not,  that  our  nation  is  forsaken  of  God  ; 
but  abide  a  while,  and  beliold  his  great  power,  how  he 
will  torment  thee,  and  thy  seed."  After  him,  also  they 
brought  the  sixth,  who  being  ready  to  die,  said,  '*  be  not 
deceived  without  cause,  for  we  suffer  these  things  for 
ourselves,  having  sinned  against  our  God,  therefore, mar- 
vellous things  are  done  unto  us  ;  but  think  not,  thou  that 
takest  in  hand  to  strive  against  God,  that  thou  shalt  es- 
cape unpunished."  But  the  mother  was  marvellous  a- 
bove  all,  and  worthy  of  honorable  memory  ;  for  when 
she  saw  her  seven  sons  slain  within  the  space  of  one  day, 
she  bore  it  v/ith  good  courage,  because  of  the  hope 
she  had  in  ti  e  Lord  ;  yea,  she  exhorted  every  one  of 
them  in  her  own  language,  filled  with  courageous  spirit, 
and  stirring  up  her  womanish  thoughts  with  a  manly 
stomach,  she  said  unto  them  ;  *' I  cannot  tell  hov/  you 
came  into  my  womb,  for  I  neither  gave  you  breath  nor 
life  ;  neither  was  it  I  that  formed  the  members  of  every 
one  of  you  ;  but  doubtless  the  Creator  of  the  world,  who 
formed  the  generation  of  man,  and  found  out  the  begin- 
ning of  all  things,  will  also,  of  his  own  mercy,  give  you 
breath  and  life  again,  as  you  now  regard  not  your  own  selves 
for  his  law's  sake."  Now,  Antiochus  thinking  himself 
despised,  and  suspecting  it  to  be  a  reproachful  speech, 
whilst  the  youngest  was  yet  aiive,  did  not  only  exhort  him 
by  words,  but  also  assured  him  with  oaths,  that  he  would 
make  him  both  a  rich  and  happy  man,  if  he  would  turn 
irom  the  laws  of  his  fathers  ;  and  that  also  he  would  take 
him  for  his  friend,  and  trust  him  with  affairs  ;  but  when 
the  young  man  would  in  no  case  hearken  unto  him,  the 
king  called  his  mother,  and  exhorted  her,  that  she  would 
counsel  the  young  man  to  save  his  life  ;  and  when  he  had 
exhorted  her  with  many  words,  she  promised  him  that 
she  would  counsel  her  son  ;  but  she  bowing  lierself  tow- 
ards him,  laughing  the  cruel  tyrant  to  scorn,  spake  on 
this  manner.  "  O  my  son,  have  pity  upon  me  that  bore 
thee  nine  months  in  my  womb,  and  gave  thee  suck  three 
years,  and  nourished  thee,  and  brought  thee  up  unto  this 


110  PERSECUTlOi^S    BEFORfi^    THE 

age,  and  endured  the  troubles  of  education.  I  beseech 
thee,  my  son,  look  upon  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  and 
all  that  is  therein,  and  consider  that  God  made  them  of 
things  that  were  not,  and  so  was  mankind  made  likewise  ; 
fear  not  this  tormentor,  but  being  worthy  of  thy  brethren, 
take  thy  death,  that  I  may  receive  thee  again  in  mercy 
with  thy  brethren."  While  she  was  yet  speaking  these 
words,  the  young  man  said,  '^  whom  wait  ye  for  ?  I  will 
not  obey  the  king's  commandment,  but  I  will  obey  the 
commandment  of  the  law  that  was  given  unto  our  fathers  by 
Moses  ;  and  thou  that  hast  been  the  author  of  all  mischief 
against  the  Hebrews,  shalt  not  escape  the  hand  of  God  ; 
for  we  suffer  because  of  our  sins  ;  and  though  the  living 
Lord  be  angry  with  us  a  little  while,  for'  our  chastening 
and  correction,  yet  shall  he  be  at  one  again  with  his  ser- 
vants. But  thou,  O  Godless  man,  and  of  all  other  most 
wicked,  be  not  lifted  up  without  a  cause,  nor  puffed  up 
•widi  uncertain  hopes,  lifting  up  thy  hands  against  the  ser- 
vants of  God  ;  fur  thou  hast  not  yet  escaped  the  judg- 
ment of  Almighty  God  who  seeth  all  things ;  for  our 
brethren,  who  now  have  suffered  a  short  pain,  are  dead  un- 
der God's  covenant  of  everlasting  life  ;  but  thou,  through 
thejudgment  of  God,  shalt  receive  just  punishmentfor  thy 
pride  ;  but  I,  as  my  brethren,  offer  up  my  body  and  life, 
for  the  laws  of  our  fathers,  beseeching  God  that  he  would 
speedily  be  merciful  unto  our  nation,  and  that  thou,  by 
torments  and  plagues  may  confess  that  he  alone  is  God;  and 
that  in  me,  and  my  brethren,  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty, 
which  is  justly  brought  upon  all  our  nation,  may  cease." 
Then  the  king,  being  in  a  rage,  handled  him  worse  than 
all  the  rest,  and  took  it  grievously  that  he  was  mocked ; 
so  this  man  died  undefiled,  and  put  his  whole  trust  in  the 
Lord  :  last  of  all,  after  the  sons,  the  mother  died.  When 
her  sons  were  apprehended,  she  exhorted  them  in  the 
Hebrew  tongue,  saying,  "  O  my  most  dear  and  loving 
children,  let  us  hasten  to  that  agony  which  may  credit  our 
profession,  and  be  rewarded  by  God  with  eternal  life ;  let 
us  fearlessly  present  onr  bodies  to  those  torments  which 
aged  Eleazer  endured ;  let  us  call  to  mind  our  father 
Abraham,  who  having  but  one  only  son,  willingly  sac- 


COMING    OF    CHRIST.  Ill 

sacrificed  him  at  God's  command,  and  feared  not  to 
bring  him  to  the  altar,  whom,  with  many  prayers,  he 
had  obtained  in  his  old  age.  Remember  Daniel,  the 
three  children,  &:c."  Antiochus  being  enraged  against 
her,  caused  her  to  be  stripped  naked,  hanged  up  by  the 
hands,  and  cruelly  whipped ;  then  wds  she  herself  put 
into  the  red  hot  frying-pan,  where,  lifting  up  her  hands 
and  eyes  to  heaven,  in  the  midst  of  her  prayers,  she 
yielded  up  her  chaste  soul  unto  God.  But  God  suffered 
not  the  cruel  tyrant  to  escape  unpunished  ;  for,  in  his 
wars  against  >-  the  Persians,  the  Lord  struck  him  with 
madness  ;  his  entrails  were  devoured  with  worms  ;  and 
stinking  like  carrion,  in  the  extremity  of  his  torments, 
he  gave  up  the  ghost. 


.4n  account  of  the  great  persecutions  and  7nartyrdoms  of 
the  christians^  after  the  coming  of  Christ, 

After  the  Jews,  who  were  once  the  people  of  God, 
and  had  the  laws,  statutes,  ordinances,  and  commands, 
of  God  made  known  to  them,  as  is  before  related,  had 
apostatized  from  the  holy  spirit,  or  life,  they  provoked 
God,  and  soon  forgot  him,  and  shamefully  entreated  and 
killed  the  servants  and  messengers  of  God  ;  yet  the 
Lord  had  compassion  on  mankind,  and  remembered  his 
promise  ;  and  in  love  to  tlie  world,  he  sent  forth  hi» 
Son,  who  said  when  he  was  come,  he  was  tlie  ''  true 
light  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world,"  yet  the  world  knew  him  not,  but  God  sent  his 
messenger  to  prepare  his  way,  and  the  voice  of  one  cri- 
ed in  the  wilderness,  "  prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
and  make  straight  paths  for  our  God  ;"  and  when  this 
messenger,  whose  name  was  John,  was  come,  tlie  hand 
of  the  Lord  was  with  him,  and  he  preached  repentance 
for  the  remission  of  sins ;  and  for  reproving  Herod  of 
his  evils,  he  was  shut  up  in  prison ;  and  Christ 
testified  of  him,  '*  that  among  those  that  were  born  of 
women,  there   was  not  a  greater  prophet  than  John." 


112  PERSECUTIONS     AFTER     THE 

To  this  Herod,  who  had  married  Herodias,  his  brother's 
wife,  John  said,  "  it  is  not  lawful  for  thee  to  have 
thy  brother's  wife ;"  therefore,  the  persecuting  spirit 
arose  in  Herodias,  and  she  would  have  killed  him, 
but  could  not ;  yet  afterwards  she  was  the  cause  of  John 
the  Baptist's  being  beheaded  in  prison. 

And  when  Christ  Jesus  appeared,  who  is  the  light  of 
the  world,  whom  John  called  the  lamb  of  God,  w^ho  tes- 
tified against  the  apostatized  Jews,  and  their  false  wor- 
ship in  their  dead  forms,  saying,  *'  God  is  a  spirit,  and 
they  that  w^orship  him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and 
in  truth;"  yet  him  these  Jews  rejected,  and  would  not  re- 
ceive, that  they  might  have  life  ;  and  when  he  said,  ^*  I 
am  the  bread  of  life,"  and,  ''I  am  the  living  bread 
which  came  down  from  heaven  ;  if  any  man  eat  of  this 
bread,  he  shall  live  for  ever ;  and  the  bread  that  I  will 
give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the 
world  ;"  the  Jews,  in  their  ignorance,  reasoned,  say- 
ing, *'  how  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat  ?  And 
they  would  not  believe  in  him,  though  he  did  such 
great  works  and  miracles  amongst  them,  that  never 
man  did  the  like,  yet  they  sought  to  kill  him  ;  neverthe- 
less, they  would  be  accounted  of  Abraham's  seed,  and 
called  him  their  father ;  but,  said  Christ,  "  if  ye  were 
Abraham's  children,  ye  would  do  the  work  of  Abra- 
ham ;  but  now  ye  seek  to  kill  me,  a  man  that  hath  told 
you  the  truth  ;  ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the 
lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do  ;  he  was  a  murderer  from 
the  beginning,  and  abode  not  in  the  truth,  because  there 
is  no  truth  in  him."  And  this  blessed  lamb  of  God, 
Christ  Jesus,  did  these  persecuting  Jews  crucify  and 
put  to  death,  as  may  be  read  at  large  in  the  scriptures. 
After  they  had  crucified  the  Lord  of  life,  then  they  per- 
secuted his  disciples  and  apostles  as  followeth. 

When  the  Jews  heard  what  Stephen  had  declared, 
they  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and  they  gnashed  on  him 
with  their  teeth  ;  but  he  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
looked  up  steadfastly  into  heaven,  and  saw  the  glory  of 
God,  and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God,  and 
said,  behold,  I  see  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Son  of 


COMING     OF    CHRIST.  113 

man  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God ;  then  they  cri- 
ed out  with  a  loud  voice,  and  stopped  their  ears,  and 
ran  upon  him  with  one  accord,  and  cast  him  out  of  the 
city,  and  stoned  him;  and  Stephen  called  upon 
God,  saying,  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit ;  and 
he  kneeled  down,  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lord, 
lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge ;  and  when  he  had  said 
this,  he  fell  asleep." 

After  the  martyrdom  of  this  blessed  Stephen,  the 
apostle  James  suffered  next ;  mention  of  which  is  in 
the  acts  of  the  apostles  ;  how,  that  not  long  after  the 
stoning  of  Stephen,  king  Herod  stretched  forth  his  hand 
to  vex  certain  of  the  church,  and  slew  James,  the  broth- 
er of  John,  with  the  sword.  Of  this  James,  Eusebius 
also  makes  mention,  quoting  Clement,  who  writes  this 
memorable  story  of  him:  *' when  he  who  brought 
James  to  the  tribinial  seat,  and  was  the  cause  of  his 
trouble,  saw  him  condemned,  and  that  he  should  suffer 
death,  as  he  went  to  the  execution,  being  moved  there- 
with in  heart  and  conscience,  confessed  himself  also,  of 
his  own  accord,  to  be  a  christian  :  and  so  were  they  led 
forth  together,  where,  in  the  way,  he  desired  of  James 
to  forgive  him  what  he  had  done  ;  after  James  had  a  lit- 
tle paused  upon  the  matter,  turning  to  him,  he  said,  peace 
be  unto  thee,  brother,  and  kissed  him,  and  they  both 
were  beheaded  together,  in  the  year  SQ,"*^ 

James,  the  brother  of  Christ,  was  termed  a  just  and 
perfect  man.  It  is  said,  that  he  took  in  hand  the  govern- 
ment of  the  church,  after  the  apostles  ;  and  when  many 
of  the  princes  were  persuaded  to  believe,  there  arose  a 
tumult  of  the  Jews,  Scribes,  and  Pharisees,  saying,  "  it 
is  very  dangerous  lest  the  whole  people  look  after  this 
Jesus,  as  though  he  were  Christ ;"  and  being  gathered 
together,  they  said  to  James,  "  we  pray  thee  stay  this 
peoplCj  for  they  err  in  Jesus,  as  though  he. were  the  true 
Christ :  we  pray  thee  persuade  this  people  concerning 
Jesus,  for  we  all  obey  thee  ;  yea,  w^e  and  all  the  people 
testify  of  thee,  that  thou  art  just,  and  respectest  not 
the  person  of  any  man  ;  stand,  therefore,  upon  the  pin- 
nacle of  the  temple,  that  thou  mayst.bc  seen  aloft,  and 

9, 


114  PEllSEetrXIONS    AFTER    THE 

that  thy  word  may  be  lieard  plainly  of  all  the  people." 
The  aforesaid  Scribes  and  Pijarisees  placed  James  upon 
the  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  and  shouted  to  him,  and  said, 
**  thou  just  man,  at  whose  commandment  we  are  all  here, 
insomuch  as  this  people  are  seduced  after  Jesus,  who  was 
crucified,  declare  unto  us  which  isthedoor,  or  way  of  Jesus 
crucified  ;"  and  he  answered  with  a  loud  voice,  *•  why 
ask  ye  me  of  Jesus  the  Son  of  man,  when  as  he  sltteth 
at  the  right  hand  of  great  power  in  heaven?"  When  as 
he  had  persuaded  many,  so  th.at  they  glorified  God  at 
the  testimony  of  James,  and  said,'"^^3osanna  in  the 
highest  to  the  Son  of  David."  Then  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  said  among  themselves,  "  we  have  done  very 
ill  in  causing  such  a  testimony  of  Jesus  to  be  brought 
forth  ;  but  let  us  climb  up  and  take  him,  to  the  end 
that  the  people  may  be  stricken  with  fear,  and  so  may 
be  brought  to  renounce  his  faith  ;"  and  they  shouted, 
saying,  "Oh!  Oh!  and  the  just  also  is  seduced;"  so 
they  climbed  up,  and  threw  Justus  down  headlong,  sa)^- 
ing,  ''let  us  stone  James  Justus ;"  and  they  began  to 
throw  stones  at  him  ;  for,  after  his  fall,  he  was  not  fully 
dead :  and  he  fell  upon  his  knees,  saying,  "  I  beseech 
thee.  Lord  God  and  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  wot 
not  what  they  do."  And  as  they  were  stoning  him, 
one  of  the  priests,  the  son  of  Rachab,  spake  to  them 
the  testimony  wiiich  is  in  Jeremiah,  the  prophet,  and 
cried  out,  "  cease,  what  do  you  ?  this  just  man  pray- 
eth  for  you."  And  one  of  them  that  were  present, 
taking  a  fuller's  club,  struck  Justus  on  the  head,  and 
killed  him.  This  James  was  so  notable  a  man,  that  for 
his  justness,  he  was  honoured  by  all  men ;  insomuch, 
that  the  wise  men  of  the  Jews,  shortly  after  his  martyr- 
dom, imputed  the  cause  of  the  besieging  of  Jerusalem, 
and  other  calamities  which  happened  unto  them,  to  the 
violence  and  injury  done  to  this  man.  Also,  Josephus 
hath  not  left  this  out  of  his  history  ;  for  he  speaketli  of 
him  after  this  manner  :  "  these  things  so  happened  unto 
the  Jews  for  a  vengeance,  because  of  that  just  man 
James,  v/ho  was  the  brother  of  Jesus  ;  for  shortly  after 
his  suffering,  Vespatian,  tlie  emperor,  destroyed  the 
land  of  Jury,  and  brought  them  into  captivity.'' 


COIvIING    Cr    CHRIST.  115 

A  relation  of  the  persecutions  7'aised  hy  the  Romans 
against  the  Christiajis,  in  the  primitive  age  of  the 
church,  during  the  space  of  three  hundred  years, 

EusEBius,  and  most  writers,  number  the  Hrst 
persecutions  to  be  ten  ;  wherein  great  numbers  of  the 
christians  were  slain  and  tormented ;  some  were 
slain  with  the  sword  ;  some  were  burnt  with  fire  ;  some 
were  scourged  with  whips  ;  some  were  stabbed  with 
forks  of  iron  ;  some  were  fastened  to  the  cross,  or  gib- 
bet ;  some  were  drowned  in  the  sea ;  some  had  their 
skins  plucked  oft';  some  had  their  tongues  cut  out;  some 
were  stoned  to  death;  some  were  killed  with  cold;  some 
were  starved  with  hunger ;  some  had  their  arms  cut  of, 
or  were  otherwise  dismembered ;  and  others  were  left 
naked  to  the  open  shame  of  the  world  ;  in  which  khids 
of  punishment,  though  they  were  diverse,  yet  the  con- 
stancy  of  all  these  martyrs  was  the  same. 

The  first  of  these  ten  persecutions  was  stirred  up  by 
Nero  Domitias,  about  the  year  67,  after  the  birth  of 
Christ.  Orosius  writeth  of  Nero,  that  he  was  the  first 
within  Rome  wt.o  raised  up  persecution  against  the 
christians,  and  not  only  in  Rome,  but  in  all  the  provin- 
ces thereof,  thinking  thereby  to  abolish  the  name  of 
christians  in  all  places. 

In  this  persecution,  the  apostle  Peter  suffered  death, 
with  many  more  christians,  as  Hierome  said.  Simon 
Peter,  the  son  of  Jona,  of  the  province  of  Galilee,  and 
of  the  town  of  Bethsaida,  the  brother  of  Andrew,  about 
the  year  44,  after  Christ's  birth,  came  to  Rome  to  with- 
stand Simon  Magus,  in  the  time  of  Nero,  and  was  cru- 
cified with  his  head  downwards,  and  his  feet  upwards, 
himself  so  requesting  ;  "because,"  said  he,  *'  lam  un- 
worthy to  be  crucified  after  the  same  manner  as  the  Lord 
was." 

Paul  the  apostle,  after  his  great  travel  and  labours  in 
preaching  the  gospel  in  divers  countries,  at  last  suffered 
martyrdom  in  this  first  persecution  under  Nero.  He 
was  beheaded,  some  writers  say,  on  the  same  day  of  the 
year  on  which  Peter  was  crucifiedfl^Itliough  not  in  the 


116  PERSECUTIONS    AFTER    THE 

same  year,  but  in  the  year    folio  wing,  which  was  the 
thirty- seventh  year  after  the  passion  of  Christ. 

He  was   delivered  by  Nero,  bound,  unto  Longinius 
and  Magistus,  the  chief  oiTicers,  and  Acestus,  the  Cen- 
turion, that  they  should  lead  him  without  the  city,  and 
cause  him  to  be  beheaded.     And  Paul  being  full  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  spake  the  words  of  eternal  life,'  that  Nero, 
and  all  the  people,  should  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  who 
was  king  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  who  would  destroy  the 
glory  of  the  world  with  fire.     When  they  had  led  him 
away,    Longimus,  Magistus,    and   Acestus,    began  to 
say  unto  him,  "  tell  us.  Oh,  Paul,  w^here  is  that  king? 
and  where  will  he  appear  unto  you  ?  and  how  will  you 
know  him  ?  and  what  will  he  give   unto  you,  or  what 
.good  will  he  bestow  upon  you,  that  you   christians  so 
mightily  love  him,  that  b}    no  means  you  Vvdll  consent 
unto  our  religion,  that  you  may  live  and  enjoy  the  good 
of  this  life  ;  but  rather,  than  all  the  pleasures  of  delight, 
to  be  led  to  die  for  him  with  divers  torments  ?  For  this 
seems  to  us  to  be  a  great  error,  to  hate  this  joyful  life, 
and  to  embrace,  with  all  your  desire,  punishment  and 
death."     Paul,   therefore,  said,  "  O  ye  wise  men,  and 
flourishing  in  knowledge,  depart  out  of  the  darkness  and 
error  wherein   the    nobility    of  your  understanding  is 
clouded  wdth  darkness,   lest   you   should   see  the  truth, 
which  lieth  hid  in  you :  turn  the  eyes  of  your  minds  to 
the  eternal  true  light,  that  ye  may  be  able  first  to  know 
yourselves ;  and  so  come  to  the  knowledge  of  that  king 
with  gladness,  and  to  be  saved  from  the  fire  which  is  to 
come  upon  the  w^orld,  and  to  remain  unhurt ;  for  we  do 
not  war,  as  you  think,  for  some  earthly  king,  but  for 
the  living  God,  and  the  kingdom  without  end,  ^  who,  by 
reason  of  the  iniquities  that  are  done  in  this  world,  will 
come  a  judge,  and  w^ill  judge  it  by  fire.     Happy  will 
that  man  be  who  will  believe  in  him  ;  he  shall  have  eter^ 
nal  life,  and  shall  live  world  without  end  ;  and  most  un- 
happy is  he,  who,  despising  the  riches  of  his  bounties 
and  long  suffering,  will  not   return  unto  him,  for  he 
shall  perish  eternally." 


COMING     OF     CHRIST.  117 

The  first  persecution,  beginning  under  Nero,  as  afore- 
said, ceased  under  Vespatian,  who  gave  some  rest  to 
the  poor  christians.  Not  long  after  whose  reign,  the 
second  persecution  was  begun  by  the  emperor  Domi- 
tian,  brother  of  Titus.  His  tyn^nny  was  unmeasurable; 
for  he  put  to  death  all  the  nephews  of  Jude,  called  the 
Lord's  brothers,  and  caused  to  be  sought  out,  and  to  be 
slain,  all  that  could  be  found  of  the  stock  of  David. 
In  the  time  of  this  persecution,  Simon,  bishop  of  Je- 
rusalem, after  other  torments,  was  crucified  to  death. 
In  this  persecution,  John  the  evangelist,  was  banished 
into  Patmos.  for  t' e  testimony  of  the  word;  and,  after 
the  death  of  Domitian,  in  the  reign  of  Pertinax  the  em- 
peror, he  came  to  Ephesus,  and  was  released  in  the 
year  100.  He  lived  to  a  great  age  ;  some  write,  till  he  i^ 
was  120.  And  this  was  his  practice  to  his  dying  day, 
when  age  and  weakness  grew  upon  him  at  Ephesus, 
that  he  was  no  longer  able  to  preach  to  them,  he  used, 
at  every^  public  meeting,  to  be  led  to  the  meeting,  and 
say  no  more  to  them,  than,  little  children,  love  one 
another. 

He  expressed  great  care  for  the  good  of  souls,  un- 
weariedly  spending  himself  in  the  service  of  the  gospel, 
in  order  to  beget  people  to  the  truth.  Witness  one  in- 
stance :  in  his  visitation  to  the  churches,  near  Ephesus, 
he  made  choice  of  a  young  man,  of  a  goodly  appear- 
ance, and  a  fervent  mind,  whom,  with  a  special  charge 
for  his  instruction  and  education,  he  committed  to  the 
bishop  of  that  place  :  afterwards,  John  returned  to  Ephe- 
sus. But  in  process  of  time,  the  young  man  became 
very  dissolute,  and  accompanied  himself  with  idle,  dis- 
solute persons,  of  ill  behaviour,  who  ])ut  liim  in  a  way 
to  steal  and  rob  ;  so  after  he  forsook  the  right  way,  ha 
brought  himself  unto  a  bottomless  pit  of  all  disorder 
and  outrage  ;  and  a  rout  of  thieves  being  gathered  to- 
gether, he  became  their  captain,  which  John,  at  his  re- 
turn, understanding,  was  sorely  troubled,  and  said,  I 
have  left  a  \\-ise  keeper  of  our  brother's  soul :  prepare 
me  a  horse,  andjet  me  have  a  guide  ;  he  hastened  and 
rode  ppst  ;    being  come  to   the   plfce    appointed,    he 


118  PERSECUTIONS    AFTER    THE 

was  sti'aighUvay  taken  by  the  thievish  watch  ;  he  neither 
fied  nor  resisted,  but  said,  "  bring  me  to  your  captain;" 
who,  in  the  mean  time,  as  he  was  armed,  beheld  him 
coming  ;  but  as  soon  as  he  saw  his  face,  and  knew  it  was 
John,  lie  was  stricken  with  shame,  and  fled  away ;  the 
old  man  pursued,  and  cried,  ''  my  son,  why  fleest  thou  ? 
O  son,  tender  my  case,  be  not  afraid,  as  yet  there  re- 
maineth  hope  of  salvation  :  I  will  undertake  for  thee  with 
Christ :  I  will  die  for  thee,  if  need  be,  as  Christ  did  for 
us."  Which  words  seized  so  on  the  young  man,  that  his 
countenance  changed,  and  he  shook  olf  his  armour,  and 
trembled,  and  wept  bitterly,  and  embraced  the  old  man, 
and  answered  as  well  as  he  could  for  weeping  ;  so  after- 
wards, the  apostle  brought  him  into  the  church  again.  Yet 
nowithstanding  all  these  continual  persecutions  and  horri- 
ble punishments,  the  christians  daily  increased,  being 
deeply  rooted  in  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles,  and  watered 
plenteously  vvith  the  blood  of  saints,  as  saith  Nicephorus. 
Everastus,  bishop  of  Rome,  was  martyred  under 
Trajan,  in  the  ytiw  102,  after  Christ ;  and  Ignatius, 
bishop  of  Antioch,  was  martyred  in  his  reign  ;  with  ma- 
ny more  christians.  This  Trajan  was  veiy  impious 
towards  the  christian  religion,  and  cruel  towards  the 
chnstians,  and  caused  the  third  persecution ;  in  which 
persecution,  Pliny  the  second,  a  heathen  philosopher,  a 
man  learned  and  famous,  seeing  the  lamentable  slaughter 
of  the  christians,  and  moved  therewith  to  pity,  wrote  to 
Trajim,  of  the  pitiful  persecution,  informing  him,  that 
there  were  very  many  thousands  of  them  daily  put  to 
death ;  of  which  none  did  any  thing  contrary  to  the  Ro- 
man laws,  worthy  of  persecution,  saving  that  they  used 
to  gather  together,  in  the  morning  before  day,  and  sing 
hymns  to  a  certain  God,  whom  they  worshipped,  called 
Christ.  In  all  their  other  ordinances,  they  were  godly 
and  honest ;  and  for  proof  hereof,  said  he,  I  caused  two 
maidens  to  be  laid  on  the  rack  ;  and  with  torments  to  be 
examined  about  the  same  ;  but  finding  nothing  in  them, 
but  immoderate  superstition,  I  resolved  to  cease  far- 
ther inquir}',  till  I  received  further  instructions  from  you 
in  this  matter.     Trajan  having  read  thi%epestle,  returned 


COMING     OF    CHRIST.     ^  119 

for  answer,  that  it  was  his  mind,  that  the  christians 
should  not  be  sought  cifter ;  but  if  they  were  brought 
and  convicted,  that  tliey  should  suffer  execution. 
Whereof,  Teitullian  speaking,  said,  ^'  oh !  confused 
sentence,  he  would  not  have  them  sought  for,  as  men  in- 
noce-nt,  and  yet  would  have  them  punished  as  men  guil- 
ty." This  Trajan  sent  a  command  to  Jerusalem,  that 
whosoever  could  Ije  found  of  the  stock  of  David, 
should  be  inquired  for,  and  put  to  death.  In  this  perse- 
cution, suffered  Phocas,  bishop  of  Pontus,  whom  Tra- 
jan, because  he  would  not  worship  Neptune,  caused  to 
be  cast  into  a  hot  lime- kiln;  and  afterwards  to  be  put  into 
a  scalding  bath,  where  he  ended  his  life  in  the  cause  of 
Christ.  Then,  also,  Ignatius,  bishop  of  Antioch,  was 
apprehended  and  sent  to  Rome,  where  he  was  devoured 
by  wild  beasts  ;  and  besides  these,  many  thousands  more 
\vere  martyred. 

In  the  reign  of  Antolius  Verus,  a  great  number  of  the 
christians  suffered  most  cruel  punishments  and  torments, 
especially  in  Asia  and  France ;  among  whom  was  Poli- 
carp,  bishop  of  Smyrna,  who  was  burnt  at  a  stake  at 
Smyrna.  About  this  time  also,  suffered  Blandina  and 
Ponticus,  a  youth  of  fifteen  years  old,  who,  defying  their 
idols,  and  constantly  cleaving  to  Christ,  were  put  to  all 
the  torments  their  enraged  enemies  could  devise,  till  at 
last,  the  youth  gave  up  the  ghost.  Blandina  was  first  piti- 
fully whipped,  and  then  thrown  to  the  wild  beasts  ;  then 
*  tormented  on  the  gridiron ;  and  at  last  slain.  Comolus 
the  emperor,  upon  his  biith-day,  calling  the  people  of 
Rome  together  in  great  royalty,  clothed  in  his  lion's 
skin,  sacrificed  to  Hercules,  causing  it  to  be  proclaimed, 
that  Hercules  was  the  patron  of  the  city  ;  \vhereupon 
Vinsencicus  Eusebius,  Perigrenous,  Potcntionous,  learn- 
ed men,  being  stirred  up  v/ith  zeal,  went  about  from 
place  to  place,  converting  the  heathen  to  the  faith  of 
Christ  ;  and  hearing  of  the  madness  of  the  emperor  and 
people,  they  repr()\  ed  that  idolatrous  blindness,  exhorting 
them  to  believe  in  the  living  and  true  God  ;  and  that  for- 
saking the  worshipping  of  devils,  they  shoukl  honour 
God  alone.     The  emperor,  hearing  thereof,  caused  them 


120  PERSECUTIONS    AFTER    THE 

to  be  apprehende:^,  and  required  them  to  sacrifice  to 
Hercules,  which  they  refusing  to  do,  he  caused  them  to 
be  grievously  tormented,  and  pressed  to  deatli  with 
wei.crhts  of  lead. 

Severn s,  another  emperor,  put  forth  proclamations, 
that  no  christians  should  be  suftered  to  live ;  hereby  a 
great  persecution  v,  as  stirred  up  on  every  side,  and  an 
infinite  number  of  martyrs  were  slain.  Potamtena  was 
tormented  with  boiling  pitch  poured  upon  her,  and  after- 
wards, with  her  mother  Mersila,  and  Rhais,  was  burnt 
in  the  fire ;  and  when  BasiUdes,  the  captain,  having  the 
maid  to  execution,  as  he  led  her  to  the  place,  he  repress- 
ed the  raging  of  the  multitude,  who  followed  with  raging 
and  reviling,  which  she  seeing,  prayed  to  the  Lord  for 
his  conversion,  to  the  true  faith ;  and  so  with  admirable 
patience  suffered  martyrdom. 

Shortly  after,  Basiiides  being  required  to  give  an  oath 
in  the  behalf  of  his  fellow  soldiers,  he  denied  the  same 
plainly,  affirming,  that  he  -was  a  christian,  and  therefore 
he  could  not  swear;  they  who  heard  him,  thought  he  jest- 
ed at  first ;  but  when  he  constantly  affirmed  it,  they  had 
him  before  the  judge,  who  committed  him  to  custody. 
The  christians  wondering  at  it,  went  to  him  and  inquired 
the  cause  of  his  conversion  ;  he  told  them,  that  Potamte- 
na prayed  for  him,  and  so  he  saw  a  crown  put  upon  his 
head,  adding,  that  it  should  not  be  long  before  he  receiv- 
ed it ;  and  accordingly,  the  next  day,  he  was  beheaded. 

A  certain  christian,  being  examined  before  the  judge- 
and  through  fear,  being  ready  to  shrink  back,  there  were 
certain  persons  standing  b}%  who  were  ready  to  burst  for 
grief,  making  signs  to  him,  by  their  hands  and  gestures, 
to  be  constant ;  v/hich  being  observed,  they  were  ready  to 
be  laid  hold  on ;  but  tbey  of  their  own  accord  pressed  up 
to  the  judge,  professed  themselves  to  be  christians,  which 
muchimboldened  the  weak  christian  andteiTifiedthe  judge : 
this  being  done,  they  departed  away,  rejoicing  for  the 
testimony  they  had  given  of  their  faith. 

The  crimes  and  accusations  that  were  laid  to  the  charge 
of  the  christians,  by  the  persecutors,  ^vere,  that  they  refused 
to  worship  idols,  and  the  emperors,  and  that  they  professed 


toUliJG    OF    CHRISt.  121 

the  iiame  of  Christ ;  and  besides,  all  the  calamities  and 
evils,  that  happened  in  the  world,  as  wars,  tuniine,  pesti- 
lence, &c.  were  imputed  only  to  the  christians.  But  Cy- 
prian and  Tertullian  confuting  these  slanders,  proved,  that 
the  special  cause  of  all  those  miseries,  which  befel  the  em- 
pire, proceeded  from  shedding  the  innocent  blood  of  the 
christicms ;  Cyprian  was  at  last  condemed  to  have  his  head 
cut  off,  and  he  patiently  and  willingly  submitted  his  neck  to 
the  stroke  of  the  sword. 

Sixtus,  bishop  of  Rome,  and  his  six  deacons,  for  the 
christian  faith,  were  all  beheaded. 

Laurence,  also,  another  of  his  deacons,  following  Six- 
tus,  as  he  went  to  his  execution,  complained  that  he  might 
not  suffer  with  him,  but  that  He  was  secluded,  as  the  son 
from  the  father  ;  to  whom  the  bishop  answered,  that  with- 
in three  days,  he  should  follow  him,  bidding  him  in 
the  mean  time  to  go  home,  and  if  he  had  any  treas- 
ures, to  distribute  them  amongst  the  poor ;  the  judge 
hearing  mention  of  treasures,  supposing  that  Laurence  had 
great  store  in  his  custody,  commanded  him  to  bring 
the  same  to  him.  Laurence  craved  three  days  respite^ 
promising  then  to  declare  where  the  treasure  might  be 
had.  In  the  mean  time,  he  caused  a  great  number  of 
christians  to  be  gathered  together ;  and  when  the  day  of 
his  answer  was  come,  the  persecutors  strictly  charged  him 
to  make  good  his  promise  ;  but  valiant  Laurence,  stretch- 
ing his  arms  over  the  poor  said,  "  these  are  the  precious 
ti'casures  of  the  church  ;  these  are  the  treasures  in 
M-hom  Christ  hath  his  mansion,  &c."  ^  But  the  ty- 
rant, in  a  great  fury  and  madness,  cried  *' kindle  the 
fu'c,  make  no  spare  of  wood  ;  hath  this  villain  deluded  the 
emperor  ?  Away  with  him ;  whip  him  with  scourges;  jerk 
liim  with  rods;  buffet  l\im  witli  fists  ;  brain  him  with  clubs; 
Jesteth  the  traitor  with  the  emperor  ?  Pinch  him  with  fie- 
ry tongs  ;  gird  him  with  burning  plates  ;  bring  out  the 
strongest  chains  and  fire- forks  ;  bind  the  rebel  hand  and 
foot,  and  when  the  grate  is  red  hot,  on  with  him  ;  roast 
him  ;  broil  him  ;  toss  him  ;  turn  him  ;  upon  pain  of  our 
high  displeasure,  do  every  man  his  office,  oil !  yc  tormen- 
tors."    Immcdiatelv   his  commimds    were  obeved ;  and 


122  PERSECUTIONS    AFTER    THE  , 

after  many  cruel  handlings,  this  meek  lamb  was  laid  on  the 
gridiron  ;  but  what  he  endured  was  with  such  patience, 
that  the  emperor  seemed  tormented  more  thiui  he  :  though 
his  flesh  broiled,  the  other's  heart  burned. 

Dionysius  writeth,  that,  '*the  number  of  those  that  suffer- 
ed martyrdom,  about  that  time,  was  great,  men,  women, 
young  men,  maidens,  old  wives,  and  men  of  all  sorts  and 
ages,  of  whom,  some  with  scourgings  and  lire,  and  some 
with  sword,  obtained  the  victory,  and  got  the  crown  ;  nei- 
ther, saith  he,  to  this  day,  doth  the  president  cease,  cruelly 
murdering  such  as  are  brought  before  him,  tearing  some 
with  torments  ;  imprisoning  others  ;  and  commanding  that 
no  man  should  come  to  them  ;  yet  God  with  the  daily  re- 
sort of  the  brethren,  did  cor^rt  the  afflicted/' 

Not  long  after  this  time,  the  church  had  peace  for  about 
the  space  of  forty  four  yeai's,  during  which  time,  it  did 
mightily  increase  and  flourish  ;  and  divers  of  the  christians 
were  preferred,  both  to  court  and  elsewhere  ;  but,  through 
this  great  prosperity,  the  christians  began  to  degenerate, 
and  to  grow  idle,  striving  and  r.ontending  among  them- 
selves upon  every  occasion,  with  railing  words  bespatter- 
ing one  another  in  a  despiteful  manner,  bishops  against 
bishops,  and  people  against  people,  moving  hatred  and  se- 
dition against  each  other,  besides  great  hypocrisy  and 
dissimulation  more  and  more,  by  reason  whereof^  God's 
judgments  broke  forth  against  them,  the  pastors  being  in- 
flamed in  mutual  contempt  against  each  other.  Then  did 
the  Lord  raise  up  adversaries  against  his  people  ;  then  did 
Dioclesian,  the  emperor,  raise  a  great  and  grievous  perse- 
cution against  the  church  ;  commanding  ail  the  meeting 
places  of  the  christians  to  be  spoiled  and  cast  down,  and 
the  scriptures  to  be  burnt,  v/hich  was  executed  with 
all  rigour  and  contempt  that  might  be,  giving  out  edicts 
for  the  displacing  of  all  christian  magistrates ,  and 
for  imprisoning  the  elders  and  bishops  ;  and  a  great  perse- 
cution ensued  :  but  the  christians  manfully  passed  through 
exceeding  bitter  tormcnts^by  scourging,  whipping,  racking,, 
and  being  put  to  death  ;  so  that  it  cannot  be  expressed 
what  number  of  martyrs  suffered;  what  blood  was  shed 
tlarough  cities  and  regions,  for  the  name  of  Christ,  in  this 


COMING    OF    CHRIST.  123 

ejnperor^s  time  by  clivers  torments  ;  some  being  hanged 
lip  by  the  feet,  and  by  the  sm.oke  of  a  small  fire  strangled. 

One  Peter  was  hoisted  up  naked,  and  so  beaten  and  torn 
with  whips,  that  his  bones  mi9;ht  be  seen  :  then  they  pour- 
ed on  salt  and  vinegar  ;  and  aiterwards  roasted  him  with  fi 
slow  fire. 

Many  christians  being  met  together,  Maximinian,the 
emperor,  sent  some  to  burn  the  meeting- place  and  all  the 
people  in  it :  but  first  they  commanded  a  crier  to  proclaim, 
that  whosoever  would  have  life,  should  come  out,  and  sac- 
rifice to  Jupiter,  otherwise  they  should  be  all  burnt ;  then 
one  stepping  up  boldly,  in  the  name  of  all  the  rest,  said, 
'''  we  are  all  christians,  and  believe  that  Christ  is  our  only 
God  and  king,  and  we  will  sacrifice  to  none  but  him :"  here- 
upon  the  fire  was  kindled  and  many  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, were  burnt  in  that  place. 

The  punishments  that  these  christians  endured  were  so 
great  and  horrible,  that  no  tongue  is  able  to  express  ;  as 
whippings,  scourgings,  rackings,  horrible  scrapings,  sword, 
fireship- boats,  whereinto  many  were  put,  and  sunk  in  the 
sea  ;  also,  hanging  upon  crosses,  binding  some  to  the  bod- 
ies  of  trees,  with  their  heads  hanging  downwards  ;  hang- 
ing others  by  the  middle  upon  gallowses,  till  they  died  of 
hunger;  throwing  divers  alive  to  bears,  leopards,  wild 
bulls,  pricking  others  with  bodkins,  and  talons  of  beasts, 
till  they  were  almost  dead. 

The  christians  being  assembled  at  Antioch,  one  Roman- 
us  ran  to  them,  declarirjg  to  them  that  the  wolves  were  at 
hand,  which  would  devour  them  ;  yet  he  exhorted  them 
not  to  fear  :  a  band  of  armed  men  was  sent  against  them, 
l)ut  they  kept  their  faith  ;  whereupon  the  soldiers  sent  word 
to  their  captain,  that  they  could  not  force  the  christians  to 
deny  their  faith,  by  reason  of  Romanus,  who  did  so  migh- 
tily encourage  them.  The  captain  commanded  that  he 
should  be  brought  before  him,  which  was  done  according- 
ly. *' What,"  said  the  captain,  **  ait  thou  the  author  of  this 
sedition  ?  Art  thou  the  cause  that  so  many  loose  their 
lives  ?  By  the  gods,  I  swear,  thou  shalt  answer  for  them  ?1I, 
and  shalt  suffer  those  torments  that  thou  encouragest  them 
to  undergo."     Romanus  answered,  "  thy  sentence  O  em- 


124  PERSECUTIONS    AFTER    THE 

peror,  I  willingly  embrace.  I  refuse  not  to  be  sacrificed 
for  my  brethren,  and  that  by  as  cruel  torments  as  thou  canst 
invent."  1  he  captain  being  much  enraged  with  this  stout 
answer,  commanded  him  to  be  suspended,  and  his  bowels 
drawn  out ;  w  hereupon,  the  executioner  said, ''  not  so,  sir ; 
this  man  is  of  noble  parentage  ;  and  therefore,  he  may  not 
be  put  to  so  ignoble  a  death  :  '^  scourge  him  then,"  said 
the  r;iptain,  ''  with  whips,  haying  knobs  of  lead  at  the  end  ;'^ 
"but  Romanus  sung  all  the  time  of  his  whipping,  requiring 
not  to  favour  him  for  nobility's  sake  ;  "  not  the  blood  of 
progenitors,"  said  he  "  but  the  christian  profession  makes 
me  noble."  Then  he  derided  their  idol  gods,  which  en- 
raged the  tyrant,  so  that  he  commanded  his  sides  to  be  lan- 
ced with  knives,  till  the  bones  were  laid  bare  ;  yet,  still  did 
the  holy  martyr  preach  the  living  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  to  him  ;  for  which,  the  tyrant  commanded  them  to 
strike  out  his  teeth  ;  also,  his  face  was  buffetted  ;  his  eye- 
lids torn,  his  cheeks  gashed  wath  knives  ;  the  skin  of  his 
beard  pulled  off;  yet  the  meek  maityr  said,  "  I  thank  thee, 
O  captain  1  that  thou  hast  opened  to  me  so  many  mouths 
as  wounds,  whereby  I  may  preach  my  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ.  Look  how  many  wounds  I  have,  so  many 
mouths  I  have  lauding  and  praising  God."  The  captain, 
astonished  at  his  constancy,  bade  them  give  over  torment- 
ing him,  yet  he  threatened  to  bum  him,  reviled  him,  and 
blasphemed  God,  saying,  '*  thy  crucified  Christ  is  but  a 
yesterday's  God,  the  gods  of  the  Gentiles  are  of  the  greatest 
antiquity,"  But  Romanus,  taking  occasion  from  thence  de- 
clared to  him  the  eternity  of  Christ,  withal,  saying,  "  give 
me  a  christian  child  of  seven  years  old,  and  thou  shalt  hear 
what  he  will  say  ;"  hereupon  a  boy  was  called  out  of  the 
multitude,  tovv^hom  Romanus  said,  "tell  me,  my  pretty 
babe,  whether  thou  thinkest  it  reason  that  we  w^orship 
Christ,  and  in  Christ  one  father,  or  else  that  v>'e  Vv^orship  in- 
finite gods  ?"  The  child  answered,  "  that  certainly  Avhat 
we  affirm  to  be  God,  must  needs  be  one,  which  with  one  is 
one  and  the  same ;  and  inasmuch  as  this  one  is  Christ,  of 
necessity,  Christ  must  be  the  true  God ;  for  that  there  be 
many  gods,  we  children  cannot  believe."  The  captain^ 
amazed  at  this,  said,  "  thpu  young  villain  and  traitor^ 


COMING    OF    CHRIST.  125 

^vfiere,  and  of  whom  learnedcst  thou  this  lesson  ?"  Of  my 
jnother,  said  he,  with  whose  milk,  I  sucked  in  this  lesson, 
that  1  must  believe  in  Christ.  The  mother  was  called ,  and 
^he  gladly  appeared.  The  tyrant  commanded  the  child  to 
be  tied  up  and  scourged.  The  bystanders  beholding  this 
merciless  act,  could  not  refrain  from  tears.  The  joyful 
mother  alone  stood  by,  with  dry  cheeks:  she  even  rebuked 
her  sweet  babe  for  desiring  a  cup  of  cold  water,  charging 
him  to  thirst  after  the  cup  that  the  babes  of  Bethlehem  once 
drank  of:  she  advised  him  to  remember  little  Isaac,  who 
w^illingly  oftered  his  neck,  to  the  dint  of  his  father's  sword, 
&c.  Then  the  cruel  tormentor  pulled  off  the  skin  and 
hair  from  the  crown  of  the  child's  head ;  the  mother  crying, 
"■  suffer,  my  child,  anon  thou  shalt  pass  to  him  diat  will  a- 
dornthy  head  with  a  crown  of  eternal  glory."'  Thus  the 
mother  counselled  and  encouraged  the  child  ;  and  he  re- 
ceived the  stripes  with  a  smiling  countenance.  The  captain, 
seeing  the  child  invincible,  and  himself  vanquished,  com- 
manded him  to  be  cast  into  the  stinking  prison,  whilst  the 
torments  of  Romanus  were  renewed  and  increased.  Then 
was  Romanus  brought  forth  again  to  receive  new  stripes 
upon  his  old  sores,  the  flesh  being  torn,  and  the  bare  bones 
appearing;  yet  the  cruel  tyrant  raging  like  a  madman,  quar- 
relled with  the  tormentors  for  dealing  so  mildly  with  liini, 
commanding  them  to  cut,  prick,  and  punch  him  ;  and  then 
he  passed  sentence  upon  him,  together  Vv  ith  the  child,  to 
be  burned  to  death  ;  to  whom,  Romanus  said,  "  I  appeal 
from  this  unjust  sentence  of  thine  to  the  righteous  throne 
of  Christ,  that  upright  judge  ;  not  because  I  fear  thv  cru- 
el torments,  and  merciless  handling,  but  that  thy  judgments 
may  be  known  to  be  cruel  and  bloody."  When  they  came 
to  the  place  of  execution,  the  tormentors  required  the 
child  of  his  mother  ;  for  she  had  carried  it  in  her  arms  from 
the  prison.  She  kissed  it,  delivered  it  to  them ;  and  as 
the  executioner  was  striking  oli'  his  head,  she  said,  farew  ell, 
piy  sweet  child. 

All  laud  and  praise,  ^\-ith  heart  and  voice, 

O  Lord,  we  yield  to  thee  ; 
To  whom  the  death*  of  all  thy  saints 

^^^e  knou-  most  dear  to  be. 


126  fERSECUTIONS    AFTER    THE 

The  child's  head  being  cut  off,  the  mother  ^\Tapped  it  in 
her  garment,  laid  it  to  her  breast,  and  so  departed.  Then 
was  Romaiius  cast  into  a  mighty  fire,  which  being  quench- 
ed by  a  great  storm  of  rain,  the  tyrant  commanded  his 
tongue  to  be  cut  out,  and  afterwards  caused  him  to  be  stran- 
gled in  the  prison. 

Gordius,  a  centurion  in  Cassarea,  in  the  heat  of  this 
persecution,  left  his  charge,  living  a  solitary  life  in  a  wilder- 
ness, for  a  long  time;  at  last,  when  a  solemn  feast  was  cele- 
brated to  Mars  in  that  city,  and  multitudes  of  people  were 
assembled  in  the  theatre  to  see  the  games,  he  came,  and 
got  up  into  a  conspicuous  place,  and,  with  a  loud  voice,  said, 
"  behold,  T  am  found  of  those  that  sought  me  not."  The 
multitude  hereupon  looked  about  to  see  who  it  was  that 
spoke  this ;  and  Gordius  being  known,  he  was  immediate- 
ly brought  before  the  sheriff;  and  being  asked,  Avho,  and 
what  he  was,  and  why  he  came  thither?  He  toldhim  the  whole 
truth,  prof  ssing  that  he  believed  in  Christ ;  valued  not 
their  threatenings  ;  and  chose  this  as  a  fit  time  to  manifest 
his  profession :  the  sheriff  called  for  scourges,  gibbets, 
and  all  manner  of  torments  ;  to  whom,  Gordius  answered, 
"  that  it  would  be  a  loss  and  damage  to  him,  if  he  did  not 
suffer  divers  tormients  and  punishments  for  Christ,  and  his 
cause."  The  sheriff,  more  incensed  thereby,  comanded  all 
those  torments  to  be  inflicted  on  him  ;  with  which  Gordius 
could  not  be  overcome,  but  sang,  ''  the  Lord  is  my  helpers^ 
I  will  not  fear  what  man  can  do  unto  me  ;  and  I  will  fear  no 
evil,  because  thou.  Lord,  art  with  me,  &c."  Then  he 
blamed  the  tormentors  for  favouring  him,  provoking  them 
to  do  their  uttermost.  The  sheriff  not  prevailing  that  way, 
sought  by  flattery  to  seduce  him,  promising  him  prefer- 
ment, riches,  treasures,  honour,  Sec.  if  he  would  deny  Christ'; 
but  Gordius  deriding  his  foolish  madness,  saying,  *'  that 
he  looked  for  gi^ater  perferment  in  Heaven,  than  he  could 
give  him  here  upon  earth."  Then  was  he  condemned,  and 
taken  out  of  the  city,  and  burnt,  multitudes  following  him, 
and  some  kissing  him,  with  tears,  entreated  him  to  pity 
himself;  to  v»  horn,  he  answered,  "weep  not,  I  pray  you, 
for  me,  but  for  the  enemies  of  God,  ^vhich  fight  against  the 
christians.     Weep,  I  say,  for  them,  which  prepare  a  fire 


COMING     OF    CHRIST.  127 

for  US,  purchasing  hell-fire  thereby  for  themselves  in  the 
day  of  vengeance  :  and  cease,  I  pray  you,  thus  to  molest 
my  quiet  und  settled  mind ;  for  truly,  for  the  n;)me  of 
Christ,  I  am  ready  to  suffer  a  thousand  deaths,  &c."  Oth- 
ers persuaded  him  to  deny  Christ  wich  his  mouth,  and  to 
keep  his  conscience  to  himself:  ''my  tongue,  said  he, 
which,  by  God's  goodness  I  have,  cannot  be  brought  to  de- 
ny the  author  and  giver  of  the  same  :  for,  with  the  heart, 
we  believe  unto  righteousness  ;  and,  with  the  tongue,  we 
confess  unto  salvation."  And  thus  persuading  and  en- 
couraging the  people  to  be  willing  to  die  in  the  like  cause, 
with  an  unparallelled  countenance,  he  wiHingly  gave  himself 
to  be  burnt. 

Basil,  in  one  of  his  orations,  relates  a  story  of  one  Julitta, 
from  whom,  one  of  the  emperor's  officers  took  all  her  goods, 
lands,  and  servants,  contrary  to  equity;  whereupon  she 
complained  to  the  judges,  and  a  day  of  hearing  was  ap- 
pointed, when  the  spoiled  woman  immediately  declared 
her  case  ;  but  the  wicked  villain  that  had  robbed  her,  said, 
that  her  action  was  of  no  force,  for  she  was  an  outlaw  for 
not  observing  the  emperors's  gods,  and  that  she  was  a 
christian.  His  allegation  was  allowed  :  incense  w^as  pre- 
pared for  her  to  offer  to  the  gods,  which,  if  she  refused,  she 
should  neither  have  protection  nor  benefit  of  the  emperor's 
laws,  nor  continue  her  life  -,  she  hearing  this,  in  the  migh- 
ty strength  of  God,  said,  '^'^  farewell,  riches,  welcome,  pov- 
erty ;  farewell,  life,  welcome,  death  ;  all  that  I  have,  were  it 
*  a  thousand  times  more,  would  I  loose,  rather  than  speak 
one  wicked  word  against  God  my  Creator :  I  yield  thee  most 
hearty  thanks,  O  my  God,  for  this  gift  of  grace,  that  I  can 
contemn  and  despise  this  frail  and  transitory  world,  es- 
teeming the  profession  of  Christ  above  all  treasures." — 
And  thenceforth,  w+ien  any  question  was  proposed  to  her, 
her  answer  was,  "  I  am  the  servant  of  Jesus  Christ."  Her 
kindred  and  friends  earnestly  solicited  her  to  change  her 
mind,  but  she  constantly  refused,  with  detestation  of  their 
idolatry.  Then  the  cruel  judge  condemned  her  to  be 
burnt;  which  sentence  she  embraced  joyfully,  as  a  thing 
most  sweet  and  delectable  ;  and  ss;  she  addressed  hersi-lfto 
the  flames,  in  countenance,  j^estuie^  and  worua,  cieciai ing 


123  PERSECUTIONS    AFTER    THE 

the  joy  of  her  heart,  coupled  with  singular  constancy,  afwJ 
embracing  the  lire,  she  sweetly  slept  in  the  Lord. 

Thus,  near  the  space  of  three  hundred  years,  was  the 
church  of  Christ  assaulted  on  every  side,  and  had  but  little 
rest,  and  no  joy,  nor  outward  safety,  in  this  present  world,  but 
in  much  bitterness  of  heart,  in  continual  tears  and  mourn- 
ing, under  the  cross,  passed  their  days  ;  being  spoiled,  im- 
prisoned, contemned,  reviled,  famished,  tormented,  and 
martyred  every  where  ;  they  by  night  assembling  to  sing 
praises  to  God  ;  in  all  which,  their  dreadful  dangers,  and 
sorrow^ful  afflictions  :  notwihtstanding,  the  goodness  of  the 
Lord  left  them  not  desolate,  but  the  more  their  outward 
tribulations  increased,  the  more  their  inward  consolations 
abounded  ;  and  the  flirther  off  they  seemed  from  the  joys 
of  this  life,  the  more  present  was  the  Lord  with  them  with 
grace  and  fortitude  to  confirm  and  rejoice  their  souls  ;  and 
though  their  possessions  and  riches  in  this  world  were  lost 
and  spoiled,  yet  were  they  enriched  w^ith  heavenly  gifts  and 
treasures  from  above,  an  hundred  fold;  then  was  tiaie  relig- 
ion felt  in  the  heart;  then  was  Christianity  not  in  outward 
appearance  shewn  only,  but  in  inward  affection  received: 
then  were  the  name  and  fear  of  God  true  in  heart,  not  dwel- 
ling in  lips  alone.  Faith  then  was  fervent,  zeal  ardent,  pray- 
er not  swimming  in  the  lips,  but  groaning  out  to  God  from 
the  bottom  of  tl>e  spirit :  then  was  no  pride  in  the  church, 
no  leisure  to  seek  riches,  nor  time  to  keep  them  :  contention 
for  trifles  was  then  so  far  from  christians,  that  well  were 
they  w^hen  they  could  meet  to  pray  together. 

But  after  this,  the  christians  coming  to  be  in  favour 
w^ith  the  emperors,  riches  and  worldly  wealth  crept  into 
the  clergy,  and  the  devil  poured  his  venom  into  the 
church,  so  that  true  humility  began  to  decay,  and  pride 
to  set  in  its  foot ;  and  afterwards  the  church,  through  favour 
of  the  emperors,  was  indued  with  lands,  donations,  posses- 
sions, and  patrimonies  ;  and  the  bishops  feeling  the  smack 
of  wealth,  ease,  and  prosperity,  began  to  swell  in  pomp 
and  pride,  and  the  more  they  flourished  in  this  world,  the 
more  God's  holy  spirit  forsook  them  ;  till  at  last,  the  bish- 
ops, who  were  for  a  long  time  kept  low,  and  persecuted, 
as  before  is  related,  now  of  persecuted  people,  began  to 


COMING    OF    CHRIST.  12& 

be  persecutors  of  Others;  and,  through  their  pride  and  riches, 
were  wholly  degenerated  from  the  true  religion,  and  became 
adversaries  to  God  ;  and  persecuted  and  destroyed  his  liv- 
ing witnesses  and  members,  as  they  were  raised  up  from 
time  to  time,  to  bear  a  testimony  against  their  apostacy, 
as,  in  the  following  history,  will  appear. 


The  grievous  sufferings,  persecutions^  and  martyrdom  of 
the  servants  of  the  Lord,  by  the  priests. 

JoH  N  saw  there  would  be  an  apostacy  from  the  blessed 
faith  in  his  days  :  for  he  *'  saw  a  beast  rise  up  out  of  the 
sea,  and  the  dragon  gave  him  his  power,  and  his  seat,  and 
great  authority ;  and  all  the  world  wondered  after  the 
iDeast ;  and  they  worshipped  the  dragon,  which  gave  pow- 
er unto  the  beast ;  and  they  worshipped  the  beast,  saying, 
who  is  like  unto  the  beast  ?  Who  is  able  to  make  war  with 
him  ?  And  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blasphemy  against 
God,  to  blaspheme  his  name  and  his  tabernacle,  and  them 
that  dwell  in  heaven  ;  and  it  was  given  unto  him  to  make 
war  with  the  saints,  and  to  overcome  them ;  and  power 
was  given  him  over  all  kindreds,  and  tongues,  and  nations. 
Andallthat  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  worship  him,  whose 
names  are  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  of  the  lamb, 
slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 

After  this  great  darkness  had  spread  over  nations  and 
people  for  some  years,  the  Lord  raised  up  some,  from 
time  to  time,  to  bear  testimony,  according  to  the  measures 
of  light  and  knowledge  they  had  received,  against  the 
blindness  and  ignorance  that  the  world  was  under,  as  in 
the  following  instances,  the  reader  may  observe. 

Robert  Grosthead,  living  in  the  year  1240,  wrote  sharp- 
ly  to  the  pope,  (particularly  for  the  evils  he  committed  in 
England)  that  he  was  opposite  to  Christ,  a  murderer  of 
souls,  and  an  heretic  ,  and  complained  on  his  death-bed  of 
the  cormption  which  had  sprung  up  in  the  church,  and  in- 
veighed bitterly  against  the  manifold  abominations  of  the 
f'hurch  and  court  of  Rome. 


130  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    FAPISTSc 

For  his  thundering  against  the  Romish  church,  and  for 
his  pubhcly  reproving  the  covetousness,  pride,  and  mani- 
fold tyrannies  of  the  pope,  he  was  excommunicated  to  the 
pit  of  hell,  by  Innocent  the  fouith,  and  was  cited  to  come 
to  Ids  bloody  court ;  but  he  appealed  from  the  pope's  ty- 
ranny to  the  eternal  tribunal  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  shortly 
after  died.  Even  before  this,  there  were  some  found  in. 
England,  who  testified  against  the  corruptions  of  the 
church  of  Rome,  and  suffered  for  the  same  ;  for,  in  the 
year  884,  John  Patrick  Erigena  wrote  a  book  about  the 
Lord's  supper,  which  was  afterwards  condemned  by  the 
pope,  and  he  was  martyred  for  it. 

In  the  year  960,  some  were  branded  in  the  face  at  Ox- 
ford, and. banished,  for  saying,  that  the  church  of  Rome 
was  the  whore  of  Babylon  ;  monkery,  a  stinking  carrion ; 
their  vows,  nurses  of  sodomy  ;  and  purgatory  and  masses, 
&c.  inventions  of  the  devil. 

In  the  year  1126,  there  was  one  Arnold,  an  English 
preacher,  cruelly  butchered,  for  preaching  against  the  pre- 
lates' pride,  and  priests'  wicked  lives. 

About  the  year  1160,  about  thirty  Waldenses  came 
into  England,  one  Gerrard  being  their  minister.  These 
people  labouring  to  win  disciples  to  Christ,  were  quick- 
ly noticed  by  the  popish  clergy  ;  and  great  complaints 
were  made  against  them  to  king  Henry  the  second,  who 
caused  them  to  be  brought  before  an  assembly  of  bishops, 
at  Oxford,  where  Gerrard  speaking  for  them,  said  to 
this  effect ;  *'  we  are  christians,  holding  the  doctrine  of 
the  apostles."  In  their  examinations,  they  would  not  ad- 
mit of  salt,  spittle,  ai"Mi  exorcisms  in  baptism,  and  the 
eucharist ;  nor  of  binding  with  the  stool,  in  marriage. 
And  being  admonished  to  repent,  and  to  return  to  the 
unity  of  the  church,  they  despised  that  counsel,  and 
scorned  threats,  saying,  "  blessed  are  they  which  are 
persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake  ;  for  theirs  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  Then  the  bishops  excommuni- 
cated them,  and  delivered  them  over  to  be  corporeally 
punished  by  the  king,  who  caused  them  to  be  burnt  as 
Itieretics  in  the  forehead,  and  to  be  whipt  throiig!i  Ox- 
ford, they  singing  all  the  v/hile,  "  blessed  are  ye  when 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS..  131 

men  hate  you."  And  the  king  further  commanded, 
that  none  should  presume  to  receive  them  into  their 
houses,  nor  to  cherish  them  with  any  comfort ;  whereby 
they  miserably  perished  with  hunger  and  cold,  none  af- 
fording any  comfort  to  them. 

These  Waldenses  are  reputed  the  first  reformers,  af- 
ter the  darkness  of  popery  had  overspread  the  christian 
world,  as  before  is  related.  And  pope  Alexander  the 
third,  being  informed,  that  divers  persons  in  Lyons 
questioned  his  sovereign  authority  over  the  whole 
church,  cursed  Waldow  and  his  adherents,  commanding 
the  archbishop  to  proceed  against  them  by  ecclesiastical 
censures  totheir  utter  extirpation:  whereupon,  they  were 
wholly  chased  out  of  Lyons.  Waldow  and  his  follow- 
ers were  called  Waldenses,  who  afterwards  spread  them- 
selves into  divers  countries  and  companies  ;  and  for  their 
religion,  many  of  them  w^ere  burnt  to  death ;  and  fleeing 
into  Germany  and  other  countries,  many  of  them  were 
put  to  death.  Pope  Alexander  made  a  decree,  that  these 
gospellers,  and  all  their  favourers,  should  be  excommu- 
nicated, and  that  none  should  sell  them  any  thing,  or  buy 
any  thing  of  them. 

But  the  Waldenses,  notwidistanding  all  the  pope^s 
curses,  continued  publishing,  *'  that  the  pope  was  anti- 
christ, tlie  mass  an  abomination,  the  host  an  idol,  and 
purgatory  a  fable  ;"  whereupon,  pope  Innocent  the  third, 
A.  D.  1198,  seeing  that  the  other  remedies  were  not 
sufficient  to  suppress  these  heretics,  as  he  called  them, 
authorized  certain  monks,  inquisitors,  who  by  process 
should  apprehend  and  deliver  them  to  the  secular  power, 
by  a  far  shorter,  but  much  more  cruel  way  than  was 
used  formerly ;  for,  by  this  means,  they  were  by  thou- 
sands delivered  into  die  magistrates'  hands,  and  by 
them  to  the  executioners,  whereby,  in  a  few  years,  all 
Christendom  was  moved  with  compassion  to  see  so  ma> 
ny  burnt  and  hanged,  that  trusted  only  in  Christ  for  Sal- 
vation. 

From  the  year  1170,  to  the  year  1470,  many  noble 
witnesses  were  raised  up  in  England,  and  elsewhere,  to 
write  against  the  pope's  pride,  calling  him  antichrist. 


132  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

&c.  and  to  bear  a  public  testimony  in  these  dark  times 
against  the  corruption  and  abominable  idolatry  which 
had  crept  into  the  church,  with  the  hazard  of  their  lives 
and  liberties.  Amongst  which,  were  the  Lollards,  of 
the  increase  of  whom,  the  pope  had  often  complained  in 
Hichard  the  second's  time,  but  could  not  prevail.  And 
king  Henry  the  fourth,  coming  to  the  throne  by  usur- 
pation, to  ingratiate  himself  with  the  clergy,  made  a 
law,  that  the  Lollards  should  be  burnt,  at  the  discretion 
of  the  bishops  ;  wheiieupon,  divers  suffered  martyrdom, 
as  folio  we  th. 

William  Sawtry,  of  London,  in  the  year  1400,  v/as 
imprisoned  by  Thomas  Arondell,  archbishop  of  Can- 
terbury. William  Sawtry  desired  his  cause  might  be 
heard  by  the  parliament  then  sitting,  for  the  whole 
realm  ;  but  the  bishops  would  not  allow  it,  and  caused 
him  to  be  brought  before  them,  who  examined  him  up- 
on eight  articles,  the  last  whereof  was  about  transub- 
stantiation  ;  to  which,  he  answered,  that  after  the  words 
of  consecration,  there  remained  the  very  same  bread, 
which  it  was  before  the  words  were  spoken;  whereupon, 
he  was  condemned  by  Robert  Hall,  the  bishop's  chan- 
cellor ;  after  which,  they  got  a  warrant  from  the  king, 
directed  to  the  mayor  and  sherift'  of  London,  for  his 
burning. 

William  Thorp,  for  the  same  cause,  was  examined 
and  imprisoned  ;  and,  after  a  long  examination,  before 
the  archbishop,  was  committed  to  another  foul,  bad 
prison,  where  he  never  was  before ;  of  which  place,  he 
wrote  as  followeth :  "  After  I  was  brought  to  prison, 
when  all  men  were  gone  forth  from  me,  and  the  prison- 
doors  fast,  being  by  myself,  I  began  to  think  on  God, 
and  to  thank  him  for  his  goodness ;  and  I  was  then 
greatly  comforted,  not  only  for  that  I  was  then  deliver- 
ed for  a  time  from  the  presence  of  tlie  scorning,  and 
from  the  menacing  of  my  enemies,  but  much  more  I 
rejoiced  in  the  Lord,  because  that  through  his  grace,  he 
kept  me  so,  both  among  the  flattering  especially,  and 
among  the  menacing  of  my  adversaries,  that  without 
heaviness  and  anguish  of  my  conscience,  I  passed  away 
from  them. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  133 

In  this  examination,  the  bishop  told  him,  that  it  was 
certified  against  him,  that  he  preached  openly  and  bold- 
ly in  Shrewsbury,  that  priests  have  no  title  to  tithes  ;  the 
substance  of  his  answer  was, 

''One  came  to  prison  to  me,  and  asked,  what  I  said  of 
tithes  ?  To  whom,  I  said,  ask  the  priests  and  clerks  of 
the  town  :  the  man  replied,  "  our  prelates  say,  they  are 
cursed  that  withdraw  their  tithes."  I  said,  I  wonder 
that  any  priests  say,  men  are  cursed,  without  the  ground 
of  God's  word ;  and  I  put  the  man  to  inquire  of  the 
priest  of  that  town,  where  the  sentence  of  cursing  them  that 
titlied  not,  was  written  in  God's  law?  And  I  said  further, 
in  the  old  law,  which  ended  not  fully  till  Christ  rose  up 
from  death  to  life,  God  commanded  tithes  to  be  given 
to  the  Levites,  but  the  priests  were  to  have  but  the 
tenth  part  of  those  tithes  given  to  the  Levites.  Now,  said 
I,  in  the  new  law,  neither  Christ,  nor  any  of  his  apos- 
tles took  tithes  of  the  people,  nor  commanded  the  peo- 
ple to  pay  tithes  ;  but  Christ  taught  the  people  to  shew 
works  of  mercy.  And  I  said,  not  of  tithes,  but  of  pure 
alms  of  the  people,  Christ  and  the  apostles  lived,  when 
they  were  so  busy  in  preaching  the  word  to  the  people, 
that  they  could  not  otherwise  work  to  get  their  liveli- 
hood." 

Then  the  bishop  said,  *'  thou  preachest  openly  at 
Shrewsbury,  that  it  is  not  lawful  to  swear  in  any  case." 

Thorp  said,  "by  the  authority  of  the  epistle  of  James, 
and  by  the  witness  of  divers  others,  I  have  preached 
openly  in  one  place  or  other,  that  it  is  not  lawful  for  any 
to  swear  in  any  case  by  any  creature." 

Then  the  clerk  asked  him,  whetlier  it  were  not  law- 
ful for  a  subject,  at  the  command  of  his  prelate,  to  kneel 
down,  and  touch  the  holy  gospel- book,  and  kiss  it,  say- 
ing, so  help  me  God,  and  this  holy  dome. 

Thorp  said,  '*  ye  speak  full  largely  ;  what,  if  a  prelate 
command  his  subject  to  do  an  unlawful  thing,  should 
he  obey  ?" 

Archbishop.  A  subject  ought  not  to  suppose  that  his 
prelate  will  bid  him  do  an  unlawful  thing. 


134  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Thorp  related  the  opinion  of  a  master  in  divinity  in 
the  matter  of  swearing  ;  who  said,  It  was  not  lawful  ei- 
ther to  give  or  take  any  such  charge  upon  a  book,  for  ev- 
ery book  is  nothing  else  but  divers  creatures,  of  which 
it  is  made  :  therefore,  to  swear  upon  a  book,  is  to  swear 
by  creatures,  and  this  swearing  is  ever  unlawful.  This 
sentence  (said  Thorp)  witnesseth  Chrysostom  plain- 
ly, blaming  them  greatly  that  bring  forth  a  book  to 
swear  upon,  charging  clerks,  that  in  no  wise,  they  con- 
strain any  body  to  swear,  whether  they  think  a  man  to 
swear  true  or  false.  Then  the  archbishop  scorned  me, 
and  threatened  me  with  sharp  and  great  punishment,  ex- 
cept I  left  this  opinion  of  swearing. 

Thorp  said,  it  is  not  only  my  opinion,  but  the  opinion 
of  Christ,  James,  and  Chrysostom,  and  of  divers  others. 

The  clerk  said,  wilt  thou  tarry,  my  lord,  longer  ?  Sub- 
mit thee  here  meekly  to  the  ordinance  of  the  holy  church 
and  lay  thy  hand  upon  a  book,  touching  the  holy  gos- 
pel of  God,  promising,  not  only  with  thy  mouth,  but  also 
with  thine  heart,  to  stand  to  my  Lord's  ordinance. 

Thorp  said,  have  I  not  told  you  here,  how  that  I 
heard  a  master  of  divinity  say  ;  that,  in  such  a  case,  it  is 
all  one  to  touch  a  book,  as  to  swear  by  a  book  ? 

Bishop.  There  is  no  master  of  divinity  in  England^ 
but  if  he  hold  this  opinion  before  me,  I  shall  punish  him, 
as  I  shall  do  thee,  except  thou  swear  as  I  shall  charge 
tlice. 

Thorp.     Is  not  Chrysostom  a  doctor  ? 

Bishop.     Yei. 

Thorp.  If  Chrysostom  proveth  him  worthy  of  great 
blame  that  bringeth  forth  a  book  to  !^  swear  upon, 
it  must  needs  follow,  that  he  is  more  to  blame  that  swear- 
eth  on  that  book. 

The  clerk  said,  lay  tliine  hand  upon  the  book,  touch- 
ing the  holy  gospel  of  God,  and  take  thy  charge. 

Thorp.  I  understand  that  the  holy  gospel  of  God  may 
not  be  touched  with  man's  hand. 

It  was  mentioned  before,  that  he  was  imprisoned  by 
Thomas  Arondell, archbishop  of  Canterbury;  and  it  is  re* 
corded  that  he  was,  by  the  said  bishop,  at  last  secretly 
put  to  death  in  the  year  1407. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  135 

In  the  year  1413,  Roger  Acton,  John  Brown,  andJohn 
Beverly  were  persecuted,  and  put  to  death  for  their  tes- 
timony to  the  truth,  at  Giles,  in  the  fields,  together  with 
divers  others,  to  the  number  of  thirty  six,  all  which  were 
hanged,  with  fire  made  under  them.  These  godly  persons, 
in  these  dangerous  times,  used  too  meet  in  the  night,  at 
Giles,  in  the  fields,  to  pray  and  preach,  which  the  bish- 
ops had  notice  of,  and  they  informed  the  king  as  if 
they  intended  to  rebel ;  whereupon,  the  king  going  with 
many  armed  men,  at  midnight,  took  these  thirty  six,  and 
caused  them  to  be  executed  ;  the  number  that  were  as- 
sembled was  greater,  but  they  fled  ;  amongst  whom,  was 
William  Murle  of  Dunstable,  Malster,  who  being  after- 
\vards  apprehended,  w^as  drawn,  hanged,  and  burnt.  But 
within  a  few  days  after  their  execution,  Thomas  Aron- 
dell,  archbishop,  was  so  striken  by  God  in  his  tongue, 
that  he  could  neither  swallow  any  food,  nor  speak  for  di- 
vers days  before  his  death,  whereby  he  died  in  much 
misery.  And  this  was  thought  to  come  upon  him,  for 
that  he  so  bound  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  it  should 
not  be  preached  in  his  days. 

John  Purvey  was  imprisoned  by  Henry  Chichley,  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  in  the  year  1421.  He  wrote  a 
book  against  the  pope,  wherein  he  called  him  antichrist, 
and  that  his  censures  were  like  the  blast  of  Lucifer.  He 
complained,  that  many  before  him,  who  had  impugned 
the  Romish  errors,  had  been  imprisoned,  killed,  and 
their  books  burnt,  and  that  none  were  suffered  to  preach, 
but  such  as  would  swear  obedience  to  the  pope  :  for 
which,  he  w^as  imprisoned,  and  secretly  made  away,  by 
the  aforesaid  bishop. 

About  this  time,  there  began  to  spring  forth  some  light 
in  Bohemia.  The  Bohemians  having  received  some  of 
Wicklift^'s  books,  began  first  to  taste  and  favour  Christ's 
gospel,  till  at  length  by  the  preaching  of  John  Hus,  they 
increased  more  and  more  in  knowledge,  insomuch  that 
pope  Alexander  the  fifth  hearing  thereof,  began  to  stir 
coals,  and  directed  his  bull  to  the  archbishop  of  Swinco, 
requiring  him  to  look  to  the  matter,  that  no  persons  should 
maintain  that  doctrine  ;  and  not  long  after  this.  John  Hus 


135  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

and  Jerome  of  Prague  were  both  condemned,  and  burnt, 
at  Constance,  by  the  council  held  there  ;  and  yet  their 
blood  did  not  satisfy  their  adversaries,  but  they  took  fur- 
ther counsel  for  the  destruction  of  these  people  in  the 
whole  nation  ;  for  when  fifty  eight  of  the  chief  nobles  of 
Bohemia,  in  the  name  of  all  the  commons,  A.  D.  1416, 
had  sent  letters  from  Prague  to  the  council,  complaining, 
that  John  Hus  their  pastor,  an  innocent  and  holy  man, 
and  faithful  teacher  of  the  truth,  was  unjustly  condemn- 
ed, the  council,  instead  of  answering  them,  wrote  let- 
ters to  some  violent  papists  who  were  in  authority,  to  assist 
their  legate  in  oppressing  the  heretics  ;  and  thereupon 
they  persecuted  them  all  manner  of  ways,  using  great 
violence  towards  them  ;  insomuch  that  they  raised  tu- 
mults, and  one  Zisca,  a  nobleman  of  that  countr}^,  being 
sorely  grieved  for  the  death  of  John  Hus,  and  Jerome  of 
Prague,  and  minding  to  revenge  the  injuries  which  the 
council  had  done,  greatly  to  the  dishonour  of  the  king- 
dom of  Bohemia,  upon  their  accomplices  and  adherents 
he  gathered  together  a  number  of  men  of  war,  subvert- 
ed the  monasteries,  and  idolatrous  temples,  pulling  down 
and  breaking  in  pieces  the  images  and  idols,  driving  a- 
w^ay  the  monks  aad  priests,  which  he  said  were  kept  up 
in  their  clositers  like  swine  in  their  styes  to  be-  fatted. — 
When  this  Zisca  died,  in  remembrance  of  him,  the  Bo- 
hemians engraved  over  his  tomb,  in  the  Greek  language, 
this  epitaph  :  *'  John  Zisca,  a  Bohemian,  enemy  to  all 
wicked  and  covetous  priests,  but  with  a  godly  zeal." 

Yet  still  as  the  popish  party  prevailed,  they  exercised 
all  manner  of  cruelty  upon  the  poor  servants  of  Christ, 
till  they  were  utterly  suppressed  by  force,  many  of  whom 
fled  into  the  hilly  country,  near  Silesia,  to  inhabit ;  where 
throwing  oft'  all  superstitious  practices,  they  applied 
themselves  to  the  best  form  that  they,  according  to  the 
best  of  their  understandings,  judged  to  be  nearest  to  the 
primitive  christians,  calling  themselves  brethren  and  sis- 
ters :  they  were  branded  with  tiie  name  of  Picards,  a 
a  name  by  which  the  Waldenses  in  Picardy  were  called. 
The  purity  that  was  amongst  them  much  displeased  the 
devil ;  for  he  raised  a  sudden  and  violent  tempest  against 


I>ERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  137 

them,  and  an  edict  was  proclaimed,  threatening  death  td 
all  that  should  administer  to  the  picards  ;  vv  .ereupon 
they  were  brought  to  great  extremity.  A  second  edict 
came  forth,  that  none  of  ti^em  should  be  suffered  either 
to  live  in  Bohemia,  or  Moravia ;  hereupon  they  wer6 
dispersed  amongst  the  woods  and  mountains,  dwelling  in 
caves,  where  yet  they  were  scarce  safe,  so  that  they  were 
forced  to  make  no  fire,  nor  dress  any  meat,  but  in  the 
night  time,  lest  t!  .e  smoke  should  betray  them.  In  the 
cold  winter  nights,  sitting  by  the  fire,  they  applied  them- 
selves to  the  reading  of  the  bible,  and  holy  discourse.—; 
When  in  the  snow,  they  went  abroad  to  provide  them  ne- 
cessaries, they  went  close  together ;  and,  lest  their  foot- 
steps should  betray  them,  the  hindermost  of  them  drew 
after  him  a  great  bough,  to  cover  the  prints  which  their 
feet  had  made. 

But,  to  return  again  to  give  a  farther  account  of  suffer- 
ers in  England.  John  Claydon,  of  London,  currier,  in 
the  year  1415,  being  examined  before  Henry  Chichley, 
archbishop  of  Canterbury,  upon  suspicion  of  heresy,  he 
confessed  that  for  the  same  cause,  he  had  been  formerly- 
imprisoned  by  R.  Bray  brock,  bishop  of  London,  in  Con- 
way prison  two  years,  and  at  another  time,  three  years  in 
the  fleet ;  and  also,  that  he  had  several  English  books 
that  he  took  delight  to  hear  read  to  him.  One  of  the  books 
was  entitled,  "  the  lantern  of  light,"  in  which  books  was 
contained,  speaking  or  treating  on  the  text,  how  the  en- 
emy did  sow  the  tares ;  "  that  wicked  antichrist  the  pope, 
hath  sowed  his  popish  and  corrupt  decrees,  which  are  of 
no  authority,  strength,  nor  value ;  and  that  the  bishop's 
licence  for  a  man  to  preach,  is  the  true  character  of  the 
beast  and  antichrist :  and  that  the  court  of  Rome  is  the 
chief  head  of  antichrist :  and  that  no  reprobate  is  a  member 
of  the  church."  His  books  being  examined,  were  con- 
demned as  heretical, to  be  burnt  in  the  fire  ;  and  sentence 
of  condemnation  was  passed  upon  him,  by  the  archbish- 
op ;  and  he  was  delivered  to  the  secular  power,  by  wliom 
he  was  carried  into  Smithfield,  and  there  bui'nt,  with 
Kichard  Turning,  a  baker. 


138  ftKSECVTEt)    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  next  year  after  the  burning  of  these  men,  the  pre- 
lates of  England,  seeing  the  daily  increase  of  the  gospel^ 
and  fearing  the  ruin  of  their  papal  kingdom,  took  coun- 
sel together,  with  what  diligence  they  could  to  maintain 
tJie  same.  Wherefore,  to  make  t  eir  state  and  kingdom 
sure,  by  statutes,  laws,  constitutions  and  terrors  of  pun- 
ishment, Henry  Ghichley,  archbishop,  in  his  convocation 
holden  at  London,  made  another  decree  against  the  poor 
Lollards,  which  was  sent  abroad  A. D.  1416  to  be  straight- 
]y  executed  ;;  in  which,  their  officials  (or  commissaries) 
were  required  twice  every  year  at  least,  to  make  diligent 
inquiry  after  such  persons  as  were  suspected  of  heresy  ; 
and  parishoners  were  to  be  sworn  upon  the  evangelists, 
to  discover  whether  they  knew  any  frequenting  pnvy 
conventicles,  or  differing  in  their  life  and  manners  frv  m 
other  common  catholic  men,  or  that  should  have  any 
books  in  the  English  tongue.        < 

After  the  setting  out  of  tlie  decree  aforesaid,  great  in- 
quisition hereupon  followed  in  England  ;  and  many  good 
men,  who  began  to  have  a  love  for  the  gospel,  were 
much  troubled,  and  great  sufferers. 

John  Gale,  of  London,  was  summoned  before  the  arch- 
bishop, for  having  a  book  in  English,  entitled,  '*a  book  of 
the  new  law."" 

Ralph  Maungin^  for  the  same  doctrine,  was  condemn- 
(gd  to  perpetual  imprisonment. 

William  White,  a  follower  of  John  Wickliffe,  was  of  a 
devout  holy  life,  and  is  recorded  as  a  morning  star  in  the 
midst  of  a  cloud,  a  man  well  learned,  an  upright  man, 
and  well  spoken.  For  the  love  of  the  truth,  he  gave  over 
his  priesthood,  but  not  his  preaching  ;  for  he  continual- 
ly laboured  to  advance  the  glory  of  God,  by  reading, 
writing,  and  preaching.  Tlie  chief  matters  charged  a- 
gainst  him  were,  that  he  held, 

That  men  should  seek  for  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins 
only  at  the  hand  of  God, 

That  the  pope  was  an  enemy  unto  Christ's  trulli. 

That  men  ought  not  to  worship  images. 

That  the  Romish  church  was  the  fig-tree  which  Christ 
cursed,  because  it  brought  forth  no  fruit  of  the  true  bc^ 
lief. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  13f 

That  such  as  wear  cowls,  or  are  aiiomted,  or  shorn, 
are  the  soldiers  of  lucifer :  and  that  all  such,  because 
their  lamps  are  not  burning,  should  be  shut  out  when 
the  Lord  shall  come. 

He  was  apprehended  (for  preaching  and  teaching  such 
like  doctrine)  in  Norfolk  ;  and  being  had  before  the  bish- 
op of  Norwich,  he  was  convicted,  condemned,  and  burnt 
in  the  seventh  month,  1424. 

When  he  was  at  the  stake,  beginning  to  open  his 
mouth  to  speak  to  the  people,  to  exhort  them  and  con- 
firm them  in  the  truth,  one  of  the  bis  ,op'  sservants  struck 
him  in  the  mouth,  thereby  to  force  him  to  keep  silence : 
and  thus  tnis  good  man  received  the  crown  of  martyrdom, 
and  ended  this  mortal  life,  to  the  great  grief  of  all  good 
men  in  Norfolk.  His  wife  Joan  following  her  husband's 
steps,  according  to  her  power,  teaching  and  sowing  a- 
broad  thiC  same  doctrine,  confirmed  many  in  God's  trudi ; 
wherefore,  she  suffered  much  trouble  and  punisiiment 
the  same  year  at  the  hands  of  the  said  bishop. 

John  Goose,  1473,  being  called  before  the  bishops 
and  accused  of  heresy  was,  condemned  and  delivered  to 
Robert  Bellisdon ,  one  of  the  sheriffs  of  London,  to  see 
him  burnt,  in  the  afternoon.  The  sheriff,  like  a  charitable 
man,  had  him  home  to  his  house,  and  there  exhorted  him 
to  deny  his  errors.  He  desired  the  sheriff  to  be  content, 
for  he  was  satisfied  in  his  conscience.  The  sheriff  giv» 
ing  him  some  meat,  he  being  very  hungry,  did  eat  so 
freely  as  if  the  hour  of  his  death  had  not  been  known  to 
be  so  nigh,  saying  to  the  bystanders,  **  I  eat  now  a  good 
and  competent  dinner,  for  I  shall  pass  a  little  sharp  show- 
cr  ere  I  go  to  supper;"  and  having  dined,  he  required  that 
he  might  be  led  to  the  place  where  he  should  yield  up 
his  spirit  unto  God. 

About  this  time,  there  being  a  war  begun  by  the  Turks 
against  the  christians,  so  called,  there  were  great  invasions, 
and  victories  were  obtained  by  the  Turks  over  them, 
insomuch  that  the  Tnrks,  in  the  space  of  thirty  years,  sub- 
dued Arabia,  got  Palaestina,  Phoenica,  Syria,  Egypt,  and 
Persia,  raging  with  their  armies  throughout  all  Asia  and 
ILurope,  conquering  as  they  passed.  The  causes  of  which 


1.40  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

invasions  and  victories,  as  is  recorded,  were  the  dissen- 
sion, discord,  falsehood,  idleness,  hiconsistency,  greedy 
avarice,  lack  of  truth  and  fidelity  amongst  christian  men 
of  all  states  and  degrees,  both  high  and  low ;  for,  by  the 
wilful  defection  and  backsliding  of  the  christians,  the 
Turkish  power  did  exceedingly  increase,  and  they,  call- 
ed christians,  were  by  multitudes  destroyed  ;  and  as  it  is 
•written,  there  was  hardly  a  town,  city,  or  village,  in  all 
Asia  and  Greece,  or  in  a  great  part  of  Europe  and  Africa^ 
whose  streets  did  not  flow  with  the  blood  of  the  christians, 
whom  these  cruel  Turks  murdered  after  an  inhuman  man- 
ner j^men  and  women  being  by  them  cut  in  pieces,  chil- 
dren stuck  upon  poles  and  stakes,  till  they  gored  them 
to  death  in  tie  sight  of  their  parents,  dragging  some  at 
their  horses'  tails,  till  they  worried  them  to  death,  tear- 
ing some  in  pieces,  tying  their  arms  and  legs  to  four 
horses,  treading  the  aged  and  feeble  under  their  horses' 
feet.  The  princes  of  Rasia  had  both  their  eyes  put  out, 
with  basons  red  hot,  set  before  them,  cutting  some  asun- 
der in  the  midst,  and  with  other  torments,  putting  many 
to  death,  insomuch  that  the  streets  and  ways  of  Chalrides 
did  flow  with  the  blood  of  them  that  were  slain.  The 
Pretor's  daughter,  of  said  city,  being  t'-e  only  daugh- 
ter of  her  fati  er,  and  noted  to  be  a  singular  beauty, 
was  saved  out  of  the  slaughter,  and  brought  to  Mahomet 
the  Turk,  to  be  his  concubine  ;  but  s  e  denying  to  con- 
sent to  his  Turkish  filthiness,  was  commanded  tiierefore 
to  be  slain.  It  would  be  long  to  recite,  and  incredible  to 
believe,  the  cruel  and  horrible  slaughters,  and  miserable 
tortures  inflicted  upon  tue  christians  by  these  Turks,  in 
moLt  parts  of  Asia  and  Africa,  and  especially  in  Europe. 

And  during  all  these  wars  and  slaughters,  the  popC/ 
ceased  not,  continually  calling  upon  christian  kings,  prin- 
ces, and  subjects  to  take  the  cross,  and  to  war  against  the 
Turks,  lest  he  should  loose  all ;  whereupon,  in  that  time 
of  darkness  and  popery,  many  took  voyages  to  the  holy 
land,  and  many  battles  were  fought  for  winning  the  holy 
cross;  and  yet  without  success,  neither  ever  came  pros- 
perously forward,  whatsoever  the  pope  attempted  against 
hioio     What  the  cause  was  may  be  easily  judged,  if  the 


FERSECUTEB    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  141 

reader  considers  tiie  gross  idolatry,  profaneness,  and  de- 
generation those  called  christians  were  fallen  into,  having 
lost  the  true  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints  :  and  in- 
stead of  being  suftcrers,  whic'i  was  once  the  portion  of 
the  true  christians,  they  now  became  tlie  persecutors  and 
destroyers  of  such  as  would  not  stoop  to  their  idolatry, 
and  to  every  foolish  invention,  that  the  popes  from  time 
to  time  set  up,  and  commanded  lo  be  observed.  It 
is  recorded,  that  in  the  time  of  pope  Julius,  partly  with 
his  wars,  and  partly  with  as  cursings,  in  the  space  of  sev- 
en years,  about  two  hundred  thousand  christians  were 
destroyed.  So  addicted  to  bloodshed  was  this  pope ; 
and  it  is  written,  he  so  far  surpassed  many  other  popes  in 
iniquity,  that  Wicelius  wrote  thus  of  him,  Marti  ilium 
quam  Christo  deditiorem  fuisse,  that  is,  that  he  was  more 
given  to  war  and  battle,  than  to  Christ. 

In  the  year  1512,  there  was  a  fight,  between  Lewis,  the 
French  king,  and  this  pope  Julius,  at  Ravenna,  upon 
Easter-day,  where  the  pope  was  vanquished,  and  had  of 
his  army  slain,  to  the  number  of  sixteen  thousand  ;  and 
the  next  year,  this  apostolic  warrior,  who  had  resigned 
liis  keys  to  the  river  Tybris  before,  made  an  end  both  of 
his  fighting  and  living. 

About  this  time,  began  the  reign  of  Henry,  the  eighth, 
king  of  England,  in  whose  reign,  great  alterations  andturns 
of  religion,  were  wrought  by  the  mighty  operation  of  God's 
hand,  not  only  in  England,  but  in  Germany,  and  other  parts 
of  Europe,  such  as  had  not  been  seen  (although  much 
groaned  for)  many  hundred  years  before  ;  nevertheless, 
many  sufiered  great  persecutions  and  martyrdom  in  this 
king's  reign,  both  in  England  and  elsewhere  ;  and  many 
good  men  were  raised  up  to  bear  witness  to  the  truth  ; 
yet  some  were  of  opinion,  that  it  was  not  wholly  the 
king's  fault,  that  so  much  blood  was  spilt  in  his  time  ; 
for  the  bishops  were  the  dragon  to  make  the  bloody  laws, 
and  it  was  the  bishops  that  were  earnest  to  see  the  huvs 
put  in  execution,  the  king  oftentimes  scarce  knowing  what 
was  done,  and  hearing  of  a  Vv'oman  that  was  the  second 
time  put  upon  the  rack,  he  exceedingly  condemned  the 
party  that  was  the  cause  of  it,  for  using  such  extrem?i 
crueltv. 


142  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

J.  Brown  passing  from  London,  in  a  Gravesend-barge, 
in    which    tjiere    was    a    priest;     sat    close    by    him; 
whereupon,  the  priest    said,    ''  dost  thou  know  who  I 
am  ?  Thou  sittest  too  near  me."     Brown  said  ;  No,  sir, 
I  know  not  who  you  are  :  I  tell  thee,  said  lie,    I    am  a 
priest.    What,  sir,  said  Brown,  are  you   a  parson,    or  a 
vicar,  or  a  lady's  chaplain  ?  I  am,  said  he,  a  soul  priest, 
and  sing  for  a  soul.     I  pray  you,  sir,  said  Brown,  where 
find  you  the  soul,  when  you  go  to  mass  ?  I  know   not, 
said  the  priest :  and    Avhere  do  you  leave  it  when  you 
have  done  mass  ?  I  cannot  tell,  said  the   priest.     Brown 
replied,  if  you  neither  know  where  t)  e  soul  is  when  you 
begin,  nor  where  you  leave  it  when  you  have  done  ;  how 
then  do  you  save  a  soul  ?  Go  thy  ways,  said  the  priest, 
thou  art  an  heretic,  and  I  will  be  even  with  thee.    And 
accordingly,  when  they  came  to  land,  the   priest,  taking 
two  others  with  him  that  were  present  in  the  barge,  went 
and  complained  to  archbishop    Warl'am,    who  sent   a 
warrant  presently  to  apprehend  Brown  ;  and   being  ap» 
prehended,  the  messenger  bound  his  feet  under  his  hors- 
es' belly,  and  carried  him  away  to  the  archbishop,  neither 
his  wife  nor  friends  knowing  whither  he  went,  nor  what 
they  would  do  with   him^     The  bishop  cast   him   into 
prison,  where  he  lay  about  six  weeks  :  then  he  was  car- 
ried to  Ashford,  where  he  dwelt,  and  was  there  set  in  the 
stocks  all  night.     His  wife  hearing  of  it,  came  and  sat 
by  him  all  night,  to  whom  he  shewed  how  cruelly  he  had 
been  handled  by  the  archbishop,  telling  her  he  could  not 
set  his  feet  to  the  ground,  for  they  had   burnt  them  to 
the  bones,  to  make  him  deny  Christ,  which,  said  he,  ''  X 
durst  not  do,  lest  my  Lord,  Christ,  should  deny  me  here- 
after ;  therefore,  good  wife,  continue  as  thou    hast    be- 
gun, and  bring  up  my  children   virtuously,  and   in   the 
fear  of  God."    And  sp^  the  next  da} ,  this  godly  martyr 
was  burnt,  calling  upon    God,   and    saying,  '"  into  thy 
hands,  I  commend  my  spirit,  thou  hast  redeemed  me,  O 
Lord  God  of  truth  !"  At  the  fire,  the  bailiff  bade,  cast  in 
his  cliildren  also  ;  for,  said  he,  *'  they  will  spring  out  of 
his  ashes."    And  in  queen  Mary's  time,  his  son  Richard 
Brown  was  sentenced  to  be  burnt,  being  a  prisoner  a 
Canterbury  ;  but  the  cjueen  dying,  he  escaped  suffering. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  l43 

About  this  time,  many  suffered  very  greatly,  for  speak- 
ing against  the  worshipping  of  saints,  and  against  Pil- 
grimage, for  having  scripture-books  in  English,  and  a 
book  called  WicklifFe's  Wicket. 

One  of  which  sufferers,  by  name,  Elizabeth  Stamford, 
being  brought  and  examined  before  Fitz  James, 
bishop  of  London,  A.  D.  1517,  confessed,  that  she  was 
taught  by  one  Thomas  Beale,  of  Henly,  these  words,  ele- 
even  years  before,  viz.  That  Christ  feedeth  and  nourish- 
cth  his  church  with  his  own  precious  body,  that  is,  the 
bread  of  life  coming  down  from  Heaven  :  this  is,  said 
she,  the  worthy  word  that  is  worthily  received  and  join- 
ed unto  man,  to  be  in  one  body  with  him  ;  so  it  is,  that 
they  be  both  one,  they  may  not  be  parted  ;  this  is  not 
received  by  chewing  of  teeth,  but  by  hearing  with  ears, 
and  understanding  with  the  soul,  and  wisely  working 
thereafter,  and  as  Paul  saith,  I  fear  amongst  us  brethren, 
that  many  of  us  be  feeble  and  sick,  therefore  my  counsel 
is,  brethren,  to  rise  and  watch,  that  the  great  day  of  doom 
come  not  suddenly  upon  us,  as  the  thief  doth  upon  the  mer- 
chant :  and  she  said  further,  that  the  said  Thomas  Beale 
taught  her,  that  she  should  confess  her  sins  to  God,  and  that 
the  pope's  pardons  and  indulgences  were  nothing  worth. 

John  Stillman,  m  the  year  1518,  v/as  apprehended 
and  brought  before  the  bishop  of  London,  and  ex- 
amined for  speaking  against  worshipping,  praying,  and 
offering  unto  images,  and  for  saying,  Wickliffe's  Wick- 
et was  a  good  book  ;  and  that  when  he  was  apprehended, 
he  hid  the  same  in  an  old  oak,  and  did  not  bring  it  out  to- 
the  bishop.  He  was  sent  to  the  Lollards'  tower ;  and  be- 
ing afterwards  brought  openly  to  the  consistory  at  Paul's, 
it  was  further  objected  against  him,  that  he  should  say, 
*'  the  pope  was  antichrist,  and  not  the  true  successor  of 
Peter,  or  Ci^rist's  vicar  on  earth  ;  and  that  his  pardons 
and  indulgences,  wiiich  he  granted  in  the  sacrament  of 
Penance,  were  nought,  and  that  he  would  have  none  of 
them ;  and  likewise,  that  the  college  of  cardinals  were 
limbs  of  antichrist,  and  th.e  priests  the  synagogues  of  sa- 
tan;  and  that  the  doctors  of  the  church  had  subverted  the 
truth  of  holy  scripture,  and  expounded  it  after  their  own 
minds  ;  and  that  he  should  say,  he  would  abide  by  these 


144  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

doctrines,  and  die  for  it ;  and  wished  there  were  twentf 
thousand  of  his  opinion,  to  witness    against    the  scribes 
and  Pharisees  :  but  for  his  constant  perseverin^oj  in  these 
principles,    Doctor  Head,  vicar  general,  passed  sentence       . 
against  him  as  an  heretic;  and    so  deHvered  him  to  the      i 
sheriffs  of  London,  to  be  openly  burnt  in  Smithfield. 

The  next  that  suffered  was  Thomas  Man,  who  for  say^ 
ing,  "  the  popish  church  was  not  t  e  church  of  God,  but 
a  synagogue  ;'*  and  for  holding  several  other  articles 
contrary  to  the  popish  church,  was  a  long  time  im- 
prisoned ;  but  through  frailty  and  fear,  having  an  oppor^ 
tunity,  he  fled  the  diocess  of  Lmcoln  ;  but  not  long  after, 
was  again  apprehended,  and  brought  before  the  bishop 
of  London,  and  was  shortly  after  delivered,  by  Dr.  Head, 
to  the  sheriff  of  London,  to  be  presently  burnt,  with  tliis 
protestation,  that  he   might  not  consent  to  the  death  of 

any. 

This  popish  chancellor  would  not  seem  to  consent  to 
his  death,  but  yet  sent  him  to  the  shambles  to  be  killed  ; 
for  these  were  the  Words  he  sent  to  the  sheriff :  "  receive 
this  person,  and  we  desire^  in  the  bowels  of  our  Lord, 
Jesus  Christ,  that  the  punishment  and  execution  of  due 
severity  of  him,  and  against  him  in  this  part,  may  be  so 
itioderate,  that  there  be  no  rigorous  rigor,  and  yet  no 
dissolute  mansuetude,  but  to  the  health  and  wealth  of  his 
soul,"  &c. 

Thomas  Man  was  burnt  by  the  sheriff,  w^ithout  any 
warrant,  for  Headdeiiv  red  him  to  the  sheriff  in  pater- 
noster-row, protesting  he  had  no  power  to  put  him  to 
death,  and  therefore  desired  the  sheriff  to  see  him  pun- 
ished, ett-mien  citra  mortem,  that  is,  without  death  ;  but 
the  sheriff  had  him  to  Smithfield,  and  there  caused  him  to 
be  burnt. 

This  Thomas  Man,  after  •  e  had  escaped  out  of  the 
diocess  of  Lmcoln,  travelled  about  in  divers  places  and 
counties  in  England,  and  instructed  miinv  in  the  truth, 
as  at  Amerh;>m,  London,  Biiiericy,  Chelmsford,  Strat- 
ford, Uxbridge,  Heniy.  Newberry,'  Suffolk,  and  Norfolk, 
and  divers  otlier  places  ;  and  he  testified  himself,  as  he 
went  westward,  he  found  a  great  company  ofweU-dis- 
posed  persons  of  the  same  judgment  with  him,  cspeciallv     ' 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  145 

at  Newbury,  where,  he  said,  was  a  glorious  and  sweet  so- 
ciety of  faithful  followers,  three  or  four  of  which  were 
burnt  for  religion. 

And  he  travelled  into  divers  other  places,  where  he 
found    many  faithful  brethren. 

This  Thomas  Man  confessed,  as  is  registered  in  the 
bishop's  book,  that  he  had  turned  seven  hundred  people 
to  his  religion,  for  which,  he  thanked  God  ;  which  people 
were  afterwards  called  by  the  name  of  Protestants. 

William  Sweeting  and  James  Brewster  had  the  like 
Catholic  charity  shewed  them  by  the  bishop,  they  being 
imprisoned  for  their  zeal  tO  the  truth  and  religion  ;  and  be- 
ing surprised  with  fear,  said,  they  submitted  themselves 
to  the  mercy  of  Almighty  God,  and  to  the  favourable 
goodness  of  the  judge  ;  upon  which  submission,  the  popish 
fathers  were  contented  to  give  out  a  solemn  commission, 
to  release  and  pardon  them  from  the  sentence  of  excom- 
munication ;  but  immediately,  the  bishop  pronounced 
upon  them  the  sentence  of  death  and  condemnation ; 
whereupon,  they  were  both  delivered  to  the  secular  pow- 
er, and  both  burnt  together  at  one  fire,  in  Smithfield. 

I  lind  further  upon  record,  that  as  the  light  of  the  gos- 
pel began  more  and  more  to  appear,  and  the  number  of 
the  professors  thereof  to  grow,  so  persecution  increased, 
and  the  bishops  stirred  themselves  to  keep  the  truth 
from  increasing  and  growing.  Whereupon  ensued  great 
persecutions,  and  grievous  afflictions  upon  divers 
in  several  counties,  epecially  in  Buckinghamshire, 
Norfolk,  Suffolk,  and  Essex;  but  although  they  were  thus 
afflicted  outwardly,  yet  their  inward  fervency  and  zeal  for 
the  truth  were  very  great,  as  appeared  by  their  sitting  up  all 
night  in  reading  and  hearing  ;  and  by  their  expense  in  giv- 
ing great  prices  for  a  few  chapters  of  James  and  Paul,  in 
English.  And  further,  their  great  travels,  their  earnest 
seeking,  their  burning  zeal,  their  reading,  their  watch- 
ings,  their  sweet  assemblies,  their  love  and  concord,  their 
godly  living,  their  faithful  marrj^ing  only  with  the  faithful ; 
all  which,  it  is  written,  they  were  faithfully  practising 
and  observing,  being  noted  or  known  among'  themselves 


146  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

by  the  name  of  known  men,  or  just  fast  men.  The  bish- 
op of  Lincoln,  in  his  inquisitions  and  examinations 
of  these  known  men,  was  so  strict  and  cruel,  that 
he  caused  the  wife  to  detect  the  husband,  and  the 
husband  the  wufe,  the  father  the  daughter,  and  the  daugh- 
ter the  father  ;  brother  against  brother,  and  neighbour  a- 
gainst  neighbour,  to  w^itness  one  against  another,  and  that 
to  death ;  causing  them  to  swear  upon  the  evangelists, 
whether  they  knew  the  persons  to  be  known  men. 

Agnis  Ashford,  being  one  of  the  said  people,  for  preach- 
ing these  words  following,  was  articled  against,  viz.  "  we 
be  the  salt  of  the  earth,  if  it  be  putrefied  and  vanished  a- 
way,  it  is  nothing  w^orth ;  a  city  set  upon  a  hill  may  not 
be  hid ;  ye  light  not  a  candle  and  put  it  under  a  bushel, 
but  set  it  on  a  candlestick,  that  it  may  give  a  light  to  all  in 
the  house  ;  so  shine  your  light  before  men,  that  they  may 
see  your  w^orks,  and  glorify  your  father  which  is  in  heav- 
en." And  further  she  did  teach,  saying,  "  Jesus  seeing 
his  people,  as  he  w^ent  up  a  hill,  was  set,  and  his  disciples 
coming  to  him,  he  opened  his  mouth,  and  taught  them, 
saying,  blessed  be  the  poor  men  in  spirit,  for  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  theirs  ;  blessed  be  mild  men,  for  they  shall 
inherit  the  earth."  For  teaching  this  doctrine,  the  bish- 
op strictly  enjoined  and  commanded  her  to  teach  no  more 
such  lessons  to  any  man,  especially  to  her  children. 

There  were  thi'ee  persons  accused  for  sitting  up  all  night, 
reading  in  a  book  of  scriptures,  in  the  house  of  one 
Durdant,  in  Iven  court,  near  Stains  ;  and  for  hav- 
ing certain  English  books,  as  Wickliffe's  Wicket,  in  which 
it  was  asserted,  that  man  could  not  make  the  body 
of  Christ,  who  made  us ;  another  crime  was,  having 
some  part  of  the  New  Testament,  and  a  book  called  The 
Prick  of  Conscience;  for  these,  and  such  like  allegations, 
did  these  men  greatly  suffer;  but  the  Lord's  handwork- 
ed marvellously  amongst  them,  so  that,  in  a  short  space, 
they  did  exceedhigly  increase,  in  such  sort,  that  the  bishop 
v/as  driven  to  make  his  complaint  to  the  king,  to  require 
his  aid  to  suppress  them.  The  king  being  then  young,  and 
easily  incensed  ^vith  the  bishop's  suggestions  and  cruel 
complaints,  sent  letters  to  the  sheriffs  to  aid  the  bishops  a- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  147 

against  these  known  men,  whom  he  termed  heretics. 
Upon  the  king's  letter,  he  renewed  his  former  fierceness, 
and  began  to  shew  further  violence  upon  the  poor  flock  of 
Christ,  calling  them  before  his  tribunal  seat,  passing  judg- 
ment upon  some,  and  committing  them  to  the  secular  arm 
to  be  burnt,  namely,  Thomas  Bernard,  James  Morden, 
Robert  Rave,  John  Scrivener,  and  others ;  compelling 
children  to  set  fire  to  their  own  fathers  :  an  example  of 
such  cruelty  as  is  contrary  both  to  God  and  nature. 

The  judicious  reader,  whose  eyes  arc  enlightened,  may 
see  what  darkness  the  world  was  drowned  in  at  this  time, 
the  purity  of  the  christian  religion  being  wholly  lost,  and 
turned  into  outward  observations,  ceremonies,  and  idola- 
try, worshipping  saints,  and  making  pilgrimages  to  see  the 
relics,  w^hich  were  as  so  many  lying  miracles.  Instead  of 
worshipping  the  living  God,  they  worshipped  dead  stocks 
and  stones  ;  the  pope's  laws  and  canons  being  more  set 
by,  than  Christ's  testament  or  the  scriptures;  laying  anoth- 
er foundation  than  Christ  and  the  apostles  laid ;  upon 
which,  the  papists  planted  their  infinite  number  of  masses, 
dirges,  obsequies,  matins,  hours  of  singing-service,  mid- 
night-rising, barefoot- going,  fish-tasting,  lent-fast,  ember- 
fast,  stations,  rogations,  jubilees,  invocation  of  saints, 
praying  to  images,  pilgrimage-walking,  vows  of  chastity, 
wilful  poverty,  pardons,  indulgences,  penance,  auricular 
confessions,  shaving,  powling,  anointing,  saying  prayers 
by  their  beads,  making  laws  that  none  should  wear  sump 
tuous  garments,  or  ouches,  or  rings  on  their  fingers,  but 
bishops  only  when  they  w^ere  saying  mass.  These,  with 
other  such  like  doings,  have  been  set  up  by  the  pope's 
power  in  the  night  of  apostacy,  and  people  have  been  for- 
ced to  swallow  it  down,  though  some  did  it  against  their 
confidences;  and  if  the  least  light  appeared  in  any  to  testify 
against  their  conduct,  the  beast  and  false  prophet  made 
wdT  with  them  ;  and  rather  than  they  would  fail  in  extin- 
guishing the  truth,  they  would  destroy  the  persons  in 
^vhom  the  least  appearance  thereof  manifested  itself,  as  in 
the  relation  before,  and  hereafter  will  aj^pear.  About  this 
time,  there  were  many  eminent  men  raised  up,  who  were 
accounted  fathers  of  the  protestant  church,  as  Zuinglius, 


148  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Oecolempadius,  Melancton,  and  Martin  Luther.  Luther 
was  a  German  bom;  and,  bemg  oppressed  with  the  popish 
idolatry,  began  to  preach  against  the  authority  of  the  pope, 
and  to  bring  in  a  reformation  of  rehgion  ;  for  repressing 
whom,  the  council  of  Trent  was  called  by  pope  Paul  the 
third,  in  the  year  1542 ;  which  council  continued  about 
forty  years  to  no  purpose,  for  they  made  many  decrees 
which  caused  a  great  confusion  amongst  the  papists  them- 
selves. It  is  recorded  of  Luther,  that  he  shined  in  the 
church  as  a  bright  star,  after  a  long,  cloudy,  and  obscure 
sky.  He  preached  expressly,  that  sins  are  freely  remitted 
for  the  love  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  we  ought  faithful- 
ly to  embrace  this  bountiful  gift.  These  good  beginnings 
got  him  great  authority,  especially  seeing  his  life  was  also 
correspondent  to  his  profession,  the  consideration  whereof 
took  place  in  the  hearts  of  his  hearers,  some  of  whom  were 
persons  of  upte.  These  things,  and  his  preaching  against 
indulgences  and  pardons,  incensing  the  pope,  he  put  forth 
a  new  edict,  wherein  he  declared  this  to  be  the  Catholic 
doctrine  of  the  mother  church  of  Rome,  prince  of  all  other 
churches ;  that  bishops  of  Rome,  which  are  successors 
of  Peter,  and  vicars  of  Christ,  have  this  power  and  au- 
thority given  to  release  and  dispense  ;  also  to  grant  indul- 
gences available,  both  for  the  living,  and  for  the  dead,  ly- 
ing in  the  pains  of  purgatory.  And  this  doctrine  he  chai'g- 
ed  to  be  received  by  all  faithful  christian  men,  under  pain 
of  the  great  curse  and  utter  separation  from  all  the  holy- 
church  ;  whereupon,  Luther's  books  were  condemned  as 
heretical,  and  the  pope's  legate  caused  them  to  be  burnt, 
^vhich  Martin  Luther  hearing  of,  got  a  com^pany  together 
at  Wittemberg,  and  making  a  fire,  burnt  the  j)ope's  de- 
crees and  bull  then  lately  sent  out  against  him ;  for  which, 
the  pope  accursed  him  at  Rome.  Afterwards,  he  was 
sent  for  by  the  emperor  to  Wormes,  and,  though  he  was 
much  persuaded  not  to  go,  hesaid,  "  as  touching  me,  since 
I  am  sent  for,  I  am  resolved,  and  certainly  ii:itend  to  enter 
Wormes  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  and  did 
appear  ;  and  according  to  a  promise  made  by  the  empe- 
ror, he  was  safely  conducted  thither,  and  home  again.  Be- 
fore the  emperor,  he  said,  "  I  can  affirm  no  other  thing 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  149 

but  only  this,  that  I  have  taught  hitherto  in  simpUcityof 
mind,  that  which  I  have  thought  to  tend  to  God's  glory." 
Behig  asked,  whether  he  owned  these  books  published  iu 
his  name;  he  said,  they  were  his  books  ;  but  he  could  not 
submit  his  books  to  the  judgment  of  men,  which  he  had 
fortified  by  the  authority  of  scripture,  unless  they  could 
prove  by  the  scripture  the  contrar}^ ;  professing,  that  ex- 
cept they  could  convince  him  by  testimonies  of  the  scrip- 
tures, (for  he  did  not  believe  the  pope,  nor  their  general 
councils,  which  have  erred  many  times,  and  have  con- 
tradicted themselves)  he  could  not  submit  to  their  judg. 
ment. 

This  opposition,  made  by  Luther,  much  troubled  the 
pope,  especially  seeing  the  followers  of  Luther  to  increase; 
and  therefore,  he  earnestly  desired  some  speedy  remedy 
against  tlie  same  ;  and  to  that  end,  sent  to  the  German 
princes  to  move  them  thereunto  ;  but  the  German  prin- 
ces, instead  of  putting  the  pope's  sentence  in  execution 
against  Luther  and  his  followers,  exhibited  at  the  council 
of  Nuremberg  an  hundred  grievances  and  oppressions 
against  the  court  of  Rome  :  as,  forbidding  marriage  to 
some,  forbidding  meats,  times  of  marriages  restrained,  and 
d'ter  released  again  for  money,  selling  remissions  of  sins 
for  money,  the  licentious  life  of  the  priests,  and  their  great 
number  of  holy -days ;  and  such  like  other  things,  as 
would  be  too  much  to  mention. 

Luther  continued,  notwithstanding  all  the  opposition  a- 
gainst  him  ;  twenty  nine  years  a  preacher,  and  at  last  died 
in  peace  in  his  own  country. 

But  there  continued  great  disputations  and  reformations 
in  divers  parts  of  Europe,  abohsing  the  mass,  and  all  im- 
ages and  foolish  ceremonies,  making  decrees  against  them, 
that  they  should  be  utterly  abandoned.  After  the  preach- 
ing of  Luther,  great  troubles  and  persecutions  followed  in 
many  parts  of  the  world ;  and  many  laws  and  decrees  \scre 
made  against  such  as  bore  testimony  against  the  ignorance 
and  error  of  those  times ;  whereby  many  good  christians 
were  cruelly  handled  ;  and  lamentable  itis  to  read,  how 
many  poor  men  were  troubled  in  Germany,  France,  and 
England;  some  beiug  racked,  some  exiled,  some  diiven 


150  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

to  caves  in  woods,  and  others  burnt  to  death  ;  with  many 
other  cruel  torments.  It  will  be  too  much  to  mention  eve- 
rv  person  that  suffered  in  those  days  for  religion  ;  but  some 
of  the  chief  are  as  followeth. 

In  the  year  1523,  John  Esch,  and  Henr}^  Voes,  two 
young  men,  for  owning  the  doctrine  of  Luther,  were  pro- 
ceeded against  as  heretics,  being  examined  by  the  pope's 
inquisitors  at  Lovaine.  The  greatest  thing  that  they  were  ac- 
cused of  as  error,  was,  believing  that  men  ought  to  trust  only 
in  God,  inasmuch  as  men  are  liai's,  and  deceitful  in  all  their 
words  and  deeds.  Being  condemned,  they  were  led  to  the 
place  of  execution  in  Bruxels,  and  went  joyfully,  saying, 
they  died  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  doctrine  of  the 
gospel,  as  true  clu'istians,  believing  and  following  ilie  holy 
church  of  the  son  of  God,  saying  also,  that  it  was  a  day 
which  they  had  Tong  desired.  Being  come  to  the  place  of 
execution,  and  stripped  to  their  shirts,  they  stood  so  a  great 
space,  patiently  and  joyfully  enduring  whatsoever  was 
done  unto  them  ;  praising  God,  and  singing  for  joy.  A 
doctor  standing  by,  exhorted  Henry  to  take  heed  so  fool- 
ishly to  glory  himself  ;  to  whom  he  answered,  *'  God  forbid 
that  I  should  glory  in  any  thing,  but  only  in  the  cross  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ :"  another  counselled  him  to  have 
God  before  his  eyes,  to  whom  he  said,  ''I  trust,  I  carry  him 
truly  in  my  heart." 

The  next  that  suffered  was  Henry  Stutven,  burned  in 
the  borders  of  Germany.  When  he  was  apprehended^ 
they  fell  upon  him  in  a  very  great  rage  and  fury,  drawing 
him  naked  out  of  his  bed,  and  bound  his  hands  behind 
him.  When  he  was  brought  to  Hemmingstead,  they  asked 
of  him,  what  his  intent  was  in  coming  to  Diethmar  ;  unto 
whom,  he  gently  declared  the  cause  of  his  coming,  which 
was  to  preach  the  gospel.  They  all,  in  a  rage,  cried  out, 
away  with  him,  away  with  him,  for  we  will  hear  him 
talk  no  longer.  Then  he  being  very  weary  and  faint,  re- 
quired to  be  set  on  horseback,  for  his  feet  were  all  cut 
and  hurt  with  the  ice,  because  he  was  led  all  night  bare 
foot ;  but  they  mocked  him,  and  said  he  was  an  heretic, 
and  he  should  go  on  foot.  That  night,  they  had  him  to  a 
man's  house,  called  Calden,  and  there  they  bound  him  in 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  151 

chains  in  the  stocks ;  but  the  master  of  the  house  being 
compassionate,  would  not  suffer  the  cruel  deed  long ; 
wherefore,  he  was  carried  away  to  a  priest's  house,  and 
there  shut  up  in  a  cupboard,  and  by  the  rude  people  mock- 
ed and  scorned  all  night :  in  the  morning,  about  eight  of 
the  clock,  they  gathered  together  in  the  market  place,  to 
consult  what  they  should  do;  where  the  rustic  i>eople,  boil- 
ing in  drink,  cried  out,  burn  him,  burn  him,  to  the  fire 
with  the  heretic.  Then  they  bound  him,  hands,  feet,  and 
neck  ;  and  being  brought  to  the  fire,  one  of  the  presidents 
appeared  to  pass  a  sentence  upon  him,  to  be  burnt  and 
consumed  with  fire.  Henry  lifting  up  his  hands,  said, 
''  Lord,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do  : 
thy  name,  O  Almighty  God,  is  holy."  The  fire,  as  often 
as  it  was  kindled,  would  not  burn  ;  notwithstanding  they 
satisfied  their  minds  upon  him,  striking  and  pricking  him 
with  their  several  kinds  of  weapons,  he  standing 
in  his  shirt ;  and  when  he  began  to  pray,  one  struck 
him  on  the  face,  saying,  "  thou  shalt  first  be' burnt,  imd  af- 
terwards pray  and  prate  as  much  as  thou  v/ilt :"  and  thus, 
this  godly  preacher  finished  his  martyrdom,  w^hich  was  in 
the  year  1529. 

John  Clark,  of  Melden  in  France,  for  setting  up  a  pa- 
per upon  the  door  of  the  house  of  worship,  against  the  pope's 
pardons,  and  calling  the  pope  antichrist,  vy-as  whipped  three 
several  days,  and  marked  in  the  forehead.  His  mother  see- 
ing their  cruelty  towards  her  son,  constantly  and  boldly  en- 
couraged him,  blessing  the  Lord  with  a  loud  voice  that  he 
was  worthy  to  suffer.  After  the  execution  of  the  foresaid 
punishment,  the  said  John  Clark  removed  to  Mentz,  and 
there  followed  his  trade,  being  a  wool-comber,  where  un- 
derstanding that  the  people  of  the  city,  after  the  old  accus- 
tomed manner,  worshipped  certain  blind  idols ;  he  be- 
ing inflamed  with  th  zeal  of  God  against  them,  went  to  the 
place  where  the  images  were,  and  broke  them  all  dowTi  in 
pieces  ;  the  next  morning,  the  canons,  priests,  and  monks, 
accompanied  with  the  people,  according  to  their  accustom- 
ed mamier,  went  to  their  idolatrous  place  of  worship,  where 
they  found  all  their  blocks  and  stocks  broken  to  pieces  up- 
on the  ground,  which  sight  sorely  offended  them  :    and 


152  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

searching  out  for  the  author  of  the  fact,  and  John  Clark  be- 
ing suspected,  was  apprehended  ;  and,  upon  examination, 
confessed  he  did  it,  and  shewed  them  the  cause  wherefore  ; 
and  being  brought  to  trial,  he  defended  the  pure  doctrine 
of  the  Son  of  God,  against  their  images  and  their  false  wor- 
ships, for  which,  he  was  condemned.  Being  led  to  the 
place  of  execution,  he  there  sustained  extreme  torments  ; 
for,  first,  his  right  hand  was  cut  off ;  then,  his  nose ,  with 
sharp  pincers,  was  violently  plucked  from  his  face  ;  all 
which,  and  much  more,  he  quietly  and  constantly  endur- 
ed, testifying  at  the  fire  against  his  persecutors,  saying, 
their  images  were  silver  and  gold,  the  work  only  of  man's 
hand. 

George  Carpenter,  of  Emering  in  Bavaria,  was  burnt 
to  death.  When  he  was  led  out  of  the  tower,  where  he 
was  prisoner,  before  the  council,  divers  friars  and  monks 
followed  him,  to  instruct  and  teach  him,  whom  he  willed 
to  tarry  at  home,  and  not  to  follow  him.  When  he  came 
before  the  council,  they  read  his  offences,  viz.  that  he  did 
not  believe  that  a  priest  could  forgive  a  man  his  sins  ;  and 
that  he  did  not  believe  that  God  was  in  the  bread  which 
the  priests  hang  over  the  altar  ;  and  that  the  element  of 
water  in  baptism  doth  not  give  grace.  Being  urged  to 
revoke  these  his  opinions,  and  that  then  he  should  be  set 
at  liberty,  and  go  home  to  his  wife  and  children  ;  to  which, 
he  answered,  ''  my  wife  and  children  are  so  deai'ly  belov- 
ed unto  me,  that  they  cannot  be  bought  from  me  for  all 
the  riches  and  possessions  of  the  duke  of  Bavaria ;  but, 
for  the  love  of  my  Lord  God,  I  can  willingly  forsake  them ;" 
At  his  execution,  a  schoolmaster  repeating  the  Lord's 
prayer,  George  Carpenter  said  as  folio weth  ;  "  truly,  thou 
art  our  father,  and  no  other,  this  day  I  trust  to  be  with 
thee ;  Oh !  my  God,  how  little  is  thy  name  hallowed  in 
tliis  world  !  for  this  cause,  O  Father,  am  I  now  here,  that 
thy  will  might  be  fulfilled,  and  not  mine  :  the  only  living 
bread,  Jesus  Christ,  shall  be  my  food ;  with  a  willing- 
mind,  do  I  forgive  all  men,both  my  friends  and  adversa- 
ries. Oh  !  my  Lord,  without  doubt,  shalt  thou  deliver 
me,  for  upon  thcc  only  have  I  laid  all  my  hope  ;  in  thee 
alone  do   I  trust,  in  thee  only  is  all  my  canfidence :  I 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  153 

knew  that  I  must  suiFer  persecution,  if  I  did  cleave  unto 
Christ,  who  said,  where  the  heart  is,  there  is  the  treasure 
also  ;  and  whatsoever  thing  a  man  doth  fix  in  his  heart 
to  love  above  God,  that  he  maketh  his  idol.  And  then 
being  cast  into  the  fire  by  the  hangman,  he  joyfully  yield- 
ed up  his  spirit  unto  God. 

Weendel  Muta,  a  widow  of  Holland,  receiving  the 
truth  of  the  gospel  into  her  heart,  was  apprehended  and 
committed  to  the  castle  of  Werden  ;  and  from  thence 
shortly  after  was  brought  to  the  Hague  to  trial,  where 
certain  monks  were  appointed  to  talk  with  her,  to  win 
her  to  recant,  but  she  constantly  persisted  in  the  truth  in 
which  she  was  planted.  A  woman  of  her  acquaintance 
coming  to  prison  to  visit  her,  said  to  her,  ''  why  dost 
not  thou  keep  silence,  and  think  secretly  in  thine  heart 
these  things  which  thou  believest,  that  thou  mayst  pro- 
long thy  life  here  ?"  '*  O  !  (said  the  widow)  you  know 
not  what  you  say,  it  is  written,  with  the  heart  we  believe 
to  righteousness  ;  with  the  tongue,  we  confess  to  salva- 
tion." At  her  execution,  she  commended  herself  into 
the  hands  of  God  ;  and,  after  a  fervent  prayer,  was  buruit 
to  death. 

About  this  time,  there  suffered  many  more  in  Germa- 
ny for  the  witness  of  the  gospel,  viz.  John  Pistorius,  com- 
ing from  Wittemberg,  for  speaking  against  the  mass  and 
pardons,  and  against  the  subtil  abuses  of  the  priests.  He 
was  committed  to  prison,  with  ten  malefactors,  whom 
he  comforted  :  to  one  of  whom  being  half  naked,  and  in 
danger  of  cold,  he  gave  his  gown.  His  father  visiting 
him  in  prison,  did  not  dissuade  him,  but  bade  him  be 
constant.  Being  condemned,  and  coming  to  the  stake, 
he  gave  his  neck  willingly  to  the  band  wherewith  he  was 
first  strangled  ;  and  was  then  burned,  saying  at  his  death, 
'*  O  death  !  where  is  thy  victory  '?" 

There  using  to  be  a  great  meeting  near  Antwerp, 
where  one  used  to  preach  to  a  great  number  of  people  ; 
of  which,  Charles  the  emperor  hearing,  gave  leave  to  any 
that  would  to  take  tlie  uppermost  garment  of  all  them 
that  came  to  hear,  and  oftercd  thirty  guilders  to  him  that 
%\'Oulfl  take  the  preacher ;  afterA\'ards;^  when  the  people 


154  PERSECUTED    BY     THE    PAPISTS. 

were  gathered,  and  their  usual  minister  being  not  there, 
one  Nicholas,  of  Antwerp,  stood  up,  and  preached  to  the 
people  ;  wherefore,  being  apprehended  by  a  butcher's 
servant,  he  was  put  in  a  sack,  and  drowned  at  the  crane 
at  Antwerp,  1524. 

Some  of  the  city  of  Lovaine,  were  suspected  of 
Lutheranism,  and  the  emperor's  procurator  came  from 
Brussels  thither  to  make  inquisition  ;  after  which  inqui- 
sition, certain  bands  of  armed  men  came  and  be- 
set their  houses  in  the  night,  where  many  were  taken  in 
their  beds,  plucked  from  their  wives  and  children,  and 
sent  to  divers  prisons,  through  the  terror  whereof,  many 
citizens  revolted  from  the  gospel,  and  returned  again  to 
idolatry  ;  but  twenty  eight  remained  constant  in  that  per- 
secution, unto  whom  the  doctors  and  inquisitor  of  Lo- 
vaine resorted,  disputing  with  them,  and  thinking  either  to 
confound,  or  convert  them  ;  but  so  strongly  the  spirit  of 
the  Lord  wrought  with  the  saints,  that  the  doctors  went 
rather  confounded  away  themselves.  When  they  saw 
disputing  would  not  do,  they  used  cruel  torments  to  en- 
force them.  One  of  them  was  condemned  to  perpetual 
prison,  which  was  a  dark  and  stinking  dungeon,  where 
he  was  neither  suffered  to  write  nor  read,  nor  any  man  to 
come  at  him,  and  commanded  only  to  be  fed  with  bread 
and  water.  Two  of  the  said  prisoners  were  also  burnt, 
receiving  with  constantcy  their  martyrdom. 

There  were  an  old  man,  and  two  aged  women,  brought 
forth,  of  whom  the  one  was  called  Antonia,  born  of  an 
ancient  stock  in  that  city.  These  were  condemned,  the 
man  to  be  beheaded,  and  the  two  women  to  be  buried 
alive  ;  which  death  they  received  very  cheerfully  }  and 
the  rest  of  the  prisoners,  that  would  not  abjure  the  doc- 
trine of  Luther,  were  put  to  the  fire. 

One  Percival,  of  Lovaine,  for  owning  the  truth,  was^ 
adjudged  to  perpetual  imprisonment :  there  to  be  fed  only 
with  bread  and  water ;  which  punishment  he  took  pa- 
tiently for  Christ's  sake.  He  was  secretly  made  away 
with,  either  famished  or  drowned,  no  man  could  learn 
how. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS,  155 

Justus  Jusberge,  a  skinner  in  Lovaine,  in  the  year 
1544,  for  having  a  new  testament  in  his  house,  was  per- 
secuted by  one  Darsardus,  and  committed  to  prison  ;  and 
the  gaoler  was  commanded  that  none  should  speak  with 
him;  shortly  after,  the  doctors  examined  him,  touching  the 
pope's  supremacy,  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  purgatory,  &:c.  ; 
wereunto  he  answered  plainly  and  boldly,  confirming 
his  answers  by  the  scriptures.  When  they  saw  he  would 
not  be  moved  from  his  faith,  then  they  condemned  him 
to  be  burnt;  but  as  a  pretended  favour  to  him,  he  was  on- 
ly beheaded. 

Giles  Tilman,  of  Brussels,  cutler,  born  of  honest  par- 
ents, at  about  the  age  of  thirty  years,  began  to  receive  the 
light  of  the  gospel,  for  which  he  was  very  zealous  and 
fervent.  He  was  in  his  nature  very  mild  and  pitiful,  pas- 
sing all  others  in  those  parts,  giving  whatsoever  he  had 
to  spare  to  the  poor,  and  living  only  upon  his  trade.  He 
was  persecuted  by  the  priest  of  Brussels,  being  taken  at 
Lovaine  spreading  that  religion  which  the  pope  called 
heresy.  His  adversaries  used  great  care  to  make  him 
abjure,  but  being  a  man  of  a  singular  wit,  and  constant 
in  his  religion,  they  went  away  many  times  with  shame. 
After  he  had  been  kept  eight  months  in  prison,  he  was 
sent  to  Brussels  to  be  judged,  where  finding  Franciscus 
Ensenes,  and  others  of  the  same  religion,  in  prison,  he 
exhorted  them  to  be  constant  to  the  truth,  that  they 
might  receive  the  crown  that  was  prepared  for  them. 

When  the  gray  friars,  being  sent  unto  him,  would 
miscal  and  abuse  him,  he  ever  held  his  peace  at  such 
private  injuries ;  wherefore,  they  reported  he  had  a 
dumb  devil  in  him.  He  might  have  several  times  es- 
caped out  of  prison,  the  doors  being  set  open,  but  he 
would  not.  Being  removed  to  another  prison,  and  on 
the  twenty- second  of  the  month  called  Januar}^,  1544,  he 
was  condemned  to  be  burnt  privately  ;  for  openly  they 
durst  not  do  it,  for  fear  of  the  people,  he  being  so  well 
beloved.  When  tidings  were  brought  him  of  his  sen- 
tence, "  he  thanked  God,  that  the  hour  was  come  where- 
in he  might  glorify  the  Lord  ;"  and  being  had  to  the  fire, 
he  willingly  resigned  up  his  life  into  the  hands  of  the 
Lord. 


156  .      PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Great  persecution  i7i  Gaunt ^  ajid  other  parts  of  Flanders^ 
Annis   1543,  and  1544. 

Charles  the  emperor  lying  in  Gaunt,  the  friars  and 
doctors  obtained,  that  the  edict  made  against  the  Luthe- 
rans might  be  read  openly  twice  a  year,  which  caused  a 
great  persecution  to  follow  ;  so  that  there  was  no  city  or 
town  in  all  Flanders,  wherein  some  were  not  either  ex- 
pulsed,  beheaded,  condemned  to  perpetual  imprisonraent, 
or  their  goods  confiscated,  without  respect  either  to  age 
or  sex,  especially  at  Gaunt,  where  some  of  the  chief 
inen  in  the  town  w^ere  burnt  for  their  religion. 

Afterwards,  the  emperor  coming  to  Brussels,  there 
also  were  terrible  slaughters  and  persecutions  of  God's 
people,  namely  in  Brabant,  Honeygrow,  and  Artois,  the 
horror  and  cruelty  whereof  are  almost  incredible  ;  inso- 
much that  two  hundred  men  and  women  were  brought 
out  of  the  country  into  the  city,  some  of  whom  were 
drowned,  some  buried  quickly,  some  privately  destroyed 
and  others  sent  to  perpetual  imprisonment,  whereby  the 
prisons  were  filled,  to  the  great  sorrow  of  them  which 
knew  the  gospel,  the  professors  wdiereof  being  now  com- 
pelled either  to  deny  the  same,  or  confirm  it  with  their 
blood;  the  history  whereof  was  at  large  set  forth  by  Fran- 
cis Ensenes,  in  Latin,  who  himself  was  a  prisoner  at  the 
same  time  in  Brussels  for  the  truth's  sake. 

Martin  Hoeurblock,  fishmonger  in  Gaunt,  1545,  being 
converted  to  the  truth  from  the  superstitious  idolatry  of 
the  Papists,  and  a  great  change  wrought  in  him,  having 
all  his  time  till  then  lived  a  wicked  and  fleshly  life,  was  a 
wonder  to  his  neighbours  to  see  such  a  sudden  change. 
The  Franciscan  friars,  who  before  knew  him,  remember- 
ing how  beneficial  he  had  been  to  them,  now  seeing  him 
so  altered,  and  taking  notice  of  his  visiting  the  prisoners, 
and  comforting  them  in  persecution,  and  confirming  them 
that  went  to  the  fire,  they  soon  caused  him  to  be  detect- 
ed and  imprisoned  ;  and,  with  grievous  and  sliarp  tor- 
ments, would  have  constrained  him  to  discover  more  of 
the  same  religion  ;  to  whom  he  answered  ;  "  that  if  they 
eould  prove  by  the  scripture,  that  his  detecting  and  ac- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  157 

cusing  his  brethren,  whom  they  would  afflict  with  the 
like  torments,  were  not  against  the  law  of  God,  then  he 
would  not  refuse  to  prefer  the  honour  of  God  before  the 
safeguard  of  his  brethren."  But  he  was  soon  after  had 
to  the  council  in  Flanders,  where  the  causes  laid  against 
him  were,  the  sacrament,  purgatory,  &c.  for  which,  he 
was  condemned  and  burnt  at  Gaunt,  all  his  goods  being 
confiscated. 

Nicholas  and  Francis  Thiesten,  Anno  1545,  for  stand- 
ing firm  in  the  truth,  and  bearing  witness  against  the 
church  of  Rome,  and  their  auricular  confession,  purgato- 
ry, &c.  were  condemned  to  be  burnt;  and  coming  to  the 
place  of  execution,  for  exhorting  the  people,  they  put 
wooden  gags  in  their  mouths.  When  they  were  fasten- 
ed to  the  stake,  they  patiently  endured  the  fire.  The 
mother  of  these  two  men  was  for  her  steadfastness  to  the 
truth  condemned  to  perpetual  imprisonment. 

Adrian  Taylor,  and  Marion  his  wife,  ofDornick,  Anno 
1545,  by  reason  of  the  emperor's  decree  at  Wormes  a- 
gainst  the  Lutherans,  were  apprehended  and  persecuted. 
Adrian,  not  so  strong  as  a  man,  for  fear  gave  back,  and 
was  only  beheaded :  the  wife,  stronger  than  a  woman, 
withstood  their  threats  ;  and  abode  the  uttermost  ;  and 
being  enclosed  in  an  iron  grate,  formed  in  the  shape  of  a 
pasty,  was  laid  in  the  earth,  and  buried  quickl}'.  When  the 
adversaries  first  told  her,  that  her  husband  had  relented, 
she  believed  them  not,  but  as  she  was  going  to  the  place 
where  she  was  to  die,  passing  by  the  tower  where  he  was, 
she  called  to  him  to  take  her  leave,  but  he  was  gone  be 
fore. 

Peter  Bruly,  of  Stratsburg,  at  the  earnest  request  of 
faidiful  brethren,  went  down  to  visit  the  lower  counties 
about  Artois,  which  the  magistrates  of  Dornick  hearing, 
shut  the  gates  of  the  town,  and  made  search  for  him  three 
days.  He  was  privately  let  down  the  wall  in  the  night  by 
a  basket  ;  and  as  he  was  let  down  into  the  ditch,  ready 
to  take  his  way,  one  of  them  which  let  him  down,  leaning 
over  the  wall,  to  bid  him  farewell,  caused,  unawares,  a 
stone  to  slip  out  of  the  wall,  which  falling  upon  him, 
broke  his  leg^  b}  reason  ^vhcreof,  he  vas   heard  by  the 


158  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

watchmen,  complaining  of  his  wound,  and  so  was  taken. 
As  long  as  he  remained  in  prison,  he  ceased  not  to  preach 
the  truth  to  all  that  came  unto  him  ;  and  he  wrote  his 
own  confession,  and  examination,  and  sent  it  to  the  breth- 
ren. He  wrote  also  another  epistle  to  them  that  were  in 
persecution  ;  another  to  all  the  faithful ;  and  another  let- 
ter he  wrote  to  his  wife,  the  same  day  he  was  burned. 
He  remained  four  months  in  prison,  before  he  was  sen- 
tenced to  be  burnt.  Letters  were  sent  from  duke  Fred- 
erick, of  the  Landsgrave,  to  entreat  for  him  ;  but  he  was 
burnt  before  the  letters  came. 

Peter  Moice  being  converted  to  the  truth,  by  Peter 
Bruly,  was  apprehended  and  let  down  into  a  deep  dun- 
geon, under  the  castle- ditch,  which  was  full  of  filtliy  ver- 
mine.  The  friars  coming  to  examine  him,  he  told  them; 
"  whilst  he  lived  an  ungodly  life,  they  never  concerned 
themselves  with  him,  but,  now  for  favouring  the  word  of 
God,  they  sought  his  blood."  Being  brought  before  the 
senate,  he  would  have  boldly  answered  to  what  they  ob- 
jected against  him,  but  they  interrupted  him  ;  to  whom, 
he  said,  **  if  you  will  not  suffer  me  to  answer  for  myself, 
send  me  back  to  prison  among  the  toads  and  frogs,  which 
will  not  interrupt  me,  while  I  talk  witli  my  God."  And 
continuing  constant  in  the  truth,  he  was  at  last  burnt  to 
death. 

Nicholas  Frenchman,  having  been  at  Geneva,  in- 
tended to  go  into  England  ;  but  in  his  way,  was  appre- 
hended by  the  lieutenant  of  Dornick  ;  and,  being  bound 
hands  and  feet,  was  brought  to  Burgis,  and  there  laid  in 
a  dungeon.  The  friars,  when  they  came  to  examine 
him,  went  away  in  a  shameful  r^ge,  saying,  *^  he  had  a 
devil ;"  and  crj  ing,  "  to  the  fire  with  him."  Soon  af- 
ter, the  judges  condemned  him  to  be  burnt  to  ashes  ;  at 
which  sentence,  he  blessed  the  Lord,  which  had  counted 
him  to  be  a  witness  in  the  cause  of  his  beloved  son.  Go- 
ing to  the  place  of  execution,  he  was  threatened,  that  if 
he  spake,  they  v/ould  put  a  wooden- ball  in  his  mouth  ; 
nevertheless,  being  at  the  stake,  he  minded  not  their 
threats,  but  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  "  Oh 
Charles !  Charles  !  how  lonp;  shall  ihv  heart  be  harden- 


PERSECUTED    BY     THE    PAPISTS.  159 

cd  ?"  with  that,  one  of  the  soldiers  gave  him  a  blow  ; 
then  he  said,  "  O  !  miserable  people,  who  are  not  wor- 
thy, to  whom  the  word  of  God  should  be  preached.*' 
Then  the  friars  cried  out,  '*  he  hath  a  devil."  To  whom 
he  said,  *'  depart  from  me  all  you  wicked,  for  the  Lord 
hath  heard  the  voice  of  my  weeping."  So,  in  the  midst 
of  the  fire  he  commended  his  spirit  unto  God,  and  ended 
this  life. 

Bertrand  le  Blais,  at  Domick,  in  the  year  1555,  suf- 
fered lamentably  ;  his   torments  being  almost  incredible, 
and  his  constancy  admirable.     He  being  a  silk-weaver, 
and  having  something  upon  his  spirit,  set  his  house  in  or- 
der ;  and  desired  his  wife  and  brother  to  pray,  that  God 
would  establish  him  in  his  enterprise,  that  he  was  going 
about  ;  which  was  upon  Christmas- day  (so  called).    He 
went  to  the  high  place,    at  Dornick,  where  he  took  the 
cake  out  of  the  priest's  hands,  as  if  he  would  have  lifted 
it  over  his  head,  at  mass,  and  stamped  it  under  his  feet, 
saying,  "  that  he  did  it  to  shew  the  glory   of  that  God, 
and    what  power  he  hath."     At  the   sight  hereof,    the 
people   were  amazed  ;  and   he  hardly  escaped  with  his 
life.     It  was  not  long,  before  the  governor  of  the  castle 
heard  of  this  passage,  who,  like  a  mad- man,  threatened 
he  should  be  an  example  to  all  posterity.     Bertrand  being 
brought  before  him,  he  asked  him,   if  he  repented  of  his 
fact  ?  He  answered,  "  no  :  and  if  he  had  a  hundred  lives 
he    would   give    them  in  the    quarrel."     Then  was  he 
thrice  put  to  the  torture,  and  tormented  most   miserably. 
Then  they  passed  sentence  against  him,  and  this  was  ex- 
ecuted :  first,  he  was  drawn  from  the  castle  of  Dornick 
to  the   market-place,  having   a  ball  of  iron   put  in  his 
mouth  :  then  he  was  set  upon  a  stage,  where  his  right- 
hand  was  crushed  and  pressed  between  two  hot  irons, 
with  sharp  edges  ;  in  the  like  manner,   they   served  his 
right  foot ;  which  torments  he  endured  with  marvellous 
constancy  ;  that  being  done,    they  took  the  ball  of  iron 
out  of  his  mouth,  and  cut  out  his  tongue.    Notwithstand- 
ing his  tongue  was   cut  out,  he  still  called  upon  God,  as 
well  as  he  could,  whereby  the  hearts  of  the  people  were 
greatly  moved;  whereupon  the  tormentors  thrust  the  iron 


160  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

ball  into  his  mouth  again  :  from  thence,  they  brought  him 
down  to  a  lower  stage  ;  where  his  legs  and  hands  were 
bound  behind  him,  with  an  iron  chain  going  about  his 
body  ;  and  so  he  was  let  down  flat  upon  the  fire.  The  gov- 
ernor standing  by,  caused  him  to  be  plucked  up  again, 
and  so  down,  and  up  again,  till  at  last  this  whole  body  was 
consumed  to  ashes. 

James  Faber,  and  three  others,  suffered  at  Valens.  Fa- 
ber  being  an  old  man,  said,  "  that  though  he  could  not 
answer,  nor  satisfy  them  in  reasoning,  yet  he  would  con- 
stantly abide  in  the  truth  of  the  gospel." 

Godfrey  Hamell,  a  tailor,  was  taken  and  condemned  at 
Dornick,  by  the  name  of  an  heretic  :  "  nay,  said  he,  not  an 
heretic,  but  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ."  When  the  bang- 
man  went  about  to  strangle  him,  to  diminish  his  punish- 
ment, he  refused,  saying,  *'  that  he  would  abide  the  sen- 
tence that  the  judges  had  given." 

Besides  those  that  suffered  in  Germany  before  men- 
tioned, there  were  great  numbers,  both  in  the  higher  and 
lower  countries  of  Germany,  who  were  put  to  death  for 
^^teligion.  Many  of  them  were  burnt ;  some  buried  alive  ; 
and  others  secretly  drowned  ;  whose  names  are  mentioned 
in  the  **  Acts  and  Monuments,"  and  which  I  have  omitted 
for  brevity's  sake. 


Sufferers  in  France^  for  hearing  the  like  witness  to  the 

gospel, 

Dennis  Rennix,  at  Melde,  in  the  year  1558,  was 
burnt  for  testifying  against  the  mass.  He  was  always  used 
to  have  in  his  mouth  the  words  of  Christ,  *'  he  that  de- 
nietli  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny  before  my 
Father."  He  was  burnt  in  a  slow  lire,  and  suffered  cruel 
torments. 

Upon  a  complaint  made  to  the  council,  called  Le  Cham- 
her  Ardante,  that  the  judges  suffered  heretics  to  have  their 
tongues  ;  a  decree  was  immediately  made,  that  all  vho 
were  to  be  burned,  unless  they  retanted  at  the  fire,  should 
have  their  tongues  cut  off,  which  law  afterwards  was  strict- 
]}'  obscr\  ed. 


PERSECUTED    BY     THE     PAPISTS.  161 

Stephen  Polliard  coming  out  of  Normandy,  (where  he 
was  born)  in  the  year  1546,  to  Meux,  tarried  there  not 
long  ;  but  he  was  compelled  to  flee  ;  and  went  to  a  town 
called  Frea,  where  he  was  apprehended  and  brought  to 
Paris;  and  there  cast  into  a  foul  and  dark  prison ;  in  which 
prison,  he  was  kept  in  bonds  and  fetters  a  long  time, 
and  saw  almost  no  light.  At  length,  being  called  for 
before  the  senate ;  and  his  sentence  given  to  have  his 
tongue  cut  out,  and  to  be  burnt  alive,  his  satchel  of 
books  hanging  about  his  neck  ;  "  O  Lord,"  siiid  he,  "  is 
the  world  in  blindness  and  d'U'kness  still  ?"  For  he 
thought,  being  in  prison  so  long,  that  the  world  had  been 
altered  from  its  old  darkness  to  better  knowledge.  At 
last,  wuth  his  books  about  his  neck,  he  was  burnt  to 
death. 

Florent  Vcnote  remamed  a  prisoner  in  Paris  four  years  ; 
during  which  time,  he  was  put  to  divers  torments.  One 
kind  of  torment  was,  he  was  put  into  a  narrow  place,  so 
strait  that  he  could  neither  stand,  nor  lie,  Avhich  they  call- 
ed the  hose,  or  boots,  because  it  was  strait  below,  and 
\vide  above.  In  this,  he  remained  se^'en  V\'eeks,  where  the 
tormentors  affirmed,  that  no  thief  or  murderer ,  could  en* 
dure  fifteen  days,  but  was  in  danger  of  life  or  madness  ; 
and  at  last,  on  the  ninth  of  the  month,  called  July,  he  was 
burnt  to  death,  with  divers  other  martyrs,  who  were  burnt 
as  a  spectacle  at  the  king's  coming  into  Paris. 

The  next  that  suffered,  ^v•as  a  poor  tailor  in  Paris,  w^ho, 
for  working  upon  holy-days  (so  called,)  and  for  denying  to 
obser\'e  them,  was  clapped  in  prison.  The  king  he?j'ing  of 
it,  sent  for  him  before  him,  and  some  of  his  peers.  Being 
before  the  king,  he  answered  with  great  boldness,  wit,  and 
memory,  defending  the  cause  of  Christ  ;  neither  flatter- 
ing their  persons,  nor  fearing  their  tlireats,  \\'hich  struck 
the  king  in  a  great  damp,  in  musing  in  his  mind  ;  which 
the  bishop  seeing,  committed  the  poor  tailor  again  to  the 
hands  of  the  officer,  saying,  ".he  was  a  stubborn  fellow, 
and  fitter  to  be  punislicd,  than  to  be  marvelled  at."  A  few 
diiys  LifLcr,  he  was  condemned  to  be  burnt  alive. 

The  next  year,  two  men,  for  friendly  admonishing  a 
certain  priest,  who,  in  his  sermon,  abused'the  name  of  God, 


162  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

were  both  burned.  Another  young  man,  of  the  age  of 
eight  en  years,  forrebukhiga  man  in  Paris  for  swearing, 
being  suspected  to  be  a  Lutheran,  was  apprehended,  and 
brought  before  the  council  at  Paris,  who  committed  him 
to  prison;  where  he  was  so  cruelly  racked  and  tormented, 
that  one  of  the  persecutors  seeing  it,  could  not  but  turn  his 
back  and  weep.  When  he  was  brought,  and  put  in  the 
fire,  he  was  plucked  up  again  upon  the  gibbet ;  and  was 
asked,  whether  he  would  turn  ?  to  which,  he  said,  "  that  he 
was  in  his  way  towards  God ;  and  therefore^  desired  them 
to  let  him  go."^ 

John  J  oyer,  and  his  servant,  being  a  young  man,  in  the 
year  1552,  coming  from  Geneva  to  their  country  with  cer- 
tain books,  were  apprehended  by  the  way  ;  and  had  to 
Tholouse,  where  the  master  was  condemned.  The  ser- 
vant being  young,  was  not  so  prompt  to  answer,  but  di- 
rected them  to  his  master  to  answer  them.  When  they 
were  brought  to  the  stake,,  the  young  man  first  going  up, 
began  to  weep  ;  the  master  fearing  lest  he  should  recant, 
ran  to  him,  and  he  was  comforted.  As  they  were  in  the  fire^ 
the  master  standing  upright  to  the  stake,  shifted  the  fire 
from  him  to  his  servant,  being  more  careful  for  him  than 
for  himself ;  and  when  he  saw  him  dead,  he  bowed  down 
himself  in  the  flame,  and  so  expired.. 

Matthias  Dimonetus,  merchant,  at  Lyons,  in  the  year 
1553,  having  been  a  man  of  a  vicious  and  detestable  life, 
was,  notwithstanding,  through  the  grace  of  God,  brought 
to  the  knowledge  and  savour  of  his  truth  ;  for  a  testimony 
of  which,  he  was  soon  after  imprisoned.  Being  in  prison y. 
he  had  great  conflicts  with  the  inlirmity  of  his  own  flesh, 
but  especially  with  the  temptation  of  his  parents,  breth- 
ren, and  kinsfolk,  and  the  great  sorrow  of  his  mother  ;  nev- 
ertheless the  Lord  so  assisted  him,  that  he  endured  to  the 
end,  and  was  burnt  to  death. 

In  the  year  1558,  the  fourth  day  of  the  month,  called 
September,  there  was  a  company  of  the  faithful,  to  the 
number  of  three  or  four  hundred,  met  together,  at  Paris, 
in  a  certain  house.  In  the  beginning  of  the  night,  ther 
were  discovered  by  some  priests  ;  and  the  house  was  soon 
beset ;  and  the  city  was  in  an  uproar,  many  being  in  an  ex- 


PERSECUTED     BY    THE    PAPISTS.  163 

treme  rage,  furiously  seeking  to  have  their  blood.  At  the 
suddenness  of  this  thing,  the  people  were  struck  in  great 
fear,  and  fell  to  prayer.  About  six  or  seven  score  of 
them  having  weapons,  escaped  through  the  multitude, 
save  only  one,  who  was  knocked  down  with  stones,  and 
destroyed.  The  women  remaining  in  the  house,  were 
taken  by  the  magistrates,  and  had  to  prison.  In  their  pas- 
sing to  the  prison,  they  were  plucked  and  haled  by  the 
rude  multitude,  who  tore  their  garments,  pulled  off  their 
hoods,  and  disfigured  their  flices  with  dirt.  They  were 
accused  to  the  king,  by  a  priest,  that  tliey  put  out  the 
candles  in  their  meetings,  and  that  they  maintained,  that 
there  was  no  God  ;  and  denied  the  divinity  and  humanity 
of  Christ,  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  the  resurrection 
of  the  body  &c.  These  things  a  lying  doctor  charged 
on  them,  without  any  proof,  moving  the  king  and  peo- 
people  to  destroy  them  ;  and  shortly  after,  a  commission 
was  directed  out  by  the  king  to  certain  counsellors  to 
try  and  give  judgment  upon  the  aforesaid  sufferers  ;  a 
particular  relation  of  whose  execution,  is  at  large  inserted 
by  my  author  ;  but  there  being  little  material,  either  in 
their  trial,  or  execution,  I  thought  not  meet  to  insert. 

About  this  time,  many  suffered  martyrdom,  under  the 
cruel  and  bloody  inquisition  in  Spain  first  begun  by  king 
Ferdinandus,  and  Elizabeth  his  wife.  The  Spanish 
priests  maintain,  that  the  holy  and  sacred  inquisition,  as 
they  call  it,  cannot  err,  and  that  the  holy  fathers,  the  in- 
quisitors, cannot  be  deceived.  If  one  be  apprehended  as 
a  favourer  of  heretics,  he  is  carried  and  put  into  a  horrible 
prison,  and  none  permitted  to  come  to  him,  but  there 
he  is  kept  alone  in  a  place,  where  he  cannot  see  so  much 
as  the  ground,  and  often  whipped,  scourged,  put  in  irons, 
tortured,  and  racked,  sometimes  brought  out  and  shew- 
ed in  some  higher  place  to  the  people,  as  a  spectacle  of 
rebuking  infamy  ;  and  thus  sonic  are  detained  there  ma- 
ny years,  and  murdered  by  long  torments,  by  which  they 
are  more  cruelly  executed,  than  if  tiiey  were  at  once  slain 
by  the  hangman  ;  during  all  their  time  of  imprisonment, 
whatsoever  process  is  done  agiiinst  them,  no  pe-rson 
kno^vs  it,   but   only   the   holy    fathers  and  tormentors, 


164  PERSECUTED     BY     THE    PAPISTS. 

which  are  sworn  to  execute  the  torments  ;  all  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  court  of  that  execrable  inquisition,  are 
done  in  secret ;  by  the  rigor  of  which  inquisition,  many 
good  men  have  been  destroyed,  both  in  Spain  and  Italy. 

In  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  in  the  year  1560,  in  the 
time  of  Pope  Pius  the  fourth,  was  begun  a  hot  persecu- 
tion against  the  protestants,  many  men  and  their  wives 
being  slain. 

Likewise,  in  the  same  year,  in  Calabria,  the  number  of 
eighty- eight  persons,  both  old  and  young,  suffered,  for 
the  protestant  religion,  by  the  papists  :  all  of  whom  were 
put  together  in  one  house,  and  taken  out  one  after  anoth- 
er, and  laid  upon  the  butcher's  stall,  like  sheep  in  the 
shambles  ;  and  with  one  bloody  knife,  they  were  all  kill- 
ed ;  a  spectacle  m^st  tragical  for  all  posterity  to  re- 
member, and  almost  incredible  to  believe  ;  but  it  is  con- 
firmed by  two  epistles  of  sufficient  credit,  which  are  at 
large  inserted  in  the  Book  of  Martyrs. 

The  next  matter  to  be  treated  of,  is  the  great  perse- 
cution and  destruction  of  the  people  of  Merindol  and  Ca- 
bries,  in  the  county  of  Provence;  where  not  a  few  per- 
sons, but  whole  villages  and  townships,  with  the  most  of 
the  men,  women,  and  children,  were  put  to  all  kinds  of 
cruelty ;  and  suftered  martyrdom  for  the  profession  of 
the  gospel. 

From  the  year  1200,  they  had  refused  the  bishop  of 
Rome^s  authority  ;  for  which,  they  were  often  accused 
and  complained  of,  to  the  king,  as  contemners  and  des- 
pisers  of  the  magistrates,  and  as  rebels  ;  wherefore,  they 
were  called  by  divers  names,  according  to  the  countries 
and  places  where  they  dwelt ;  for,  in  the  country  about 
Lyons,  they  were  called  the  poor  people  of  Lyons:  in  the 
borders  of  Sarmaria  and  Livonia,  and  in  other  countries 
towards  the  north,  they  were  called  Lollards  ;  in  Flan- 
ders and  Artois,  Turrelupines,  from  a  desert  where 
evolves  haunt  i  in  Dauphin  with  great  despite,  they  were 
called  Chagnars,  because  they  lived  in  places  open  to  the 
sun,  with  out  house  or  harbour  ;  but  most  commonly, 
they  were  called  Waldows,  from  Waldow,  who  first  in- 
structed them  in  the  word  of  God,  as  before  is  related  ; 


TERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  165 

which  name  continued  till  the  name  of  Lutherans  came 
up,  which,  above  all  others,  was  most  hated  and  abhor- 
red. 

Notwithstanding  these  most  spiteful  reproaches  and 
slanders,  the  people  dwelling  at  the  foot  of  the  Alps,  and 
in  Merindol  and  Cabries,  always  lived  so  Godly,  upright- 
ly, and  justly,  that  in  all  their  lives  and  conversation,  there 
appeared  to  be  in  them  a  great  fear  of  God  ;  and  that  lit- 
tle liglit  of  true  knowledge,  which  God  had  given  them, 
they  laboured  by  all  means  to  kindle  and  increase  daily 
more  and  more,  sparing  no  charges,  whether  it  were  to 
purchase  the  scriptures  in  their  own  language,  to  encour- 
age one  another  in  godliness,  or  travelling  into  other 
countries,  even  to  the  farthest  parts  of  tl.e  earth,  where 
they  had  heard  that  any  light  of  the  gospel  began  to 
shine. 

But  the  more  zealous  these  people  were  for  a  refor- 
ma'tion  in  their  religion,  the  more  did  the  fury  and  rage 
of  persecution  stir  in  the  bishops,  priests,  and  monks,  in 
all  Provence,  against  them.  Amongst  the  rest,  one  Jo. 
de  Roma,  a  monk,  obtaining  a  conmiission  to  examine 
those  that  were  suspected  to  be  of  the  Waldow  or  Lu- 
theran profession,  forthwith  ceased  not  to  afflict  the 
faithful  with  all  kinds  of  cruelty  that  he  could  devise  or 
imagine  :  amongst  other  horrible  torments,  this  was  one, 
which  he  most  delighted  in,  and  most  commonly  practis- 
ed :  he  filled  boots  with  boiling  grease,  and  put  them 
upon  their  legs,  tying  tliem  backward,  to  a  form  witli 
their  legs  hanging  down  over  a  small  fire,  and  so  he  ex- 
amined them.  Thus  he  tormented  very  many  ;  and  in 
the  end,  most  cruelly  put  them  to  death.  This  cruelty 
coming  to  the  French  king's  ears,  he  was  much  digust- 
ed  ;  wherefore,  he  wrote  to  the  parliament  at  Provence, 
that  the  monk  might  be  apprehended  and  punished  ;  but 
he  conveyed  himself  away.  The  Lord,  not  long  after, 
smote  him  with  a  most  horrible  and  strange  sickness,  his 
body  being  tormented  with  pain,  and  he  could  get  no  help. 
Being  had  to  an  hospital,  his  tiesh  rotted  away,  and  stunk 
so  that  none  cared  to  come  near  him  :  and  in  this  rage 
and  torment,  he  often  cried  out,  '*  who  v.^ill  deliver  me  ? 


166  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Who  will  kill  me,  and  deliver  me  out  of  these  torments 
and  pains,  which  I  know  I  fufFer  for  the  evils  and  op- 
pressions that  I  have  done  to  the  poor  men  V  And,  in 
this  anguish,  he  most  miserably  ended  his  unhappy  days. 

After  the  death  of  this  persecuting  monk,  the  bishop 
of  Aix,  by  his  official,  continued  the  persecution,  and  put 
a  great  multitude  of  them  in  prison,  of  whom,  some  by 
force  of  torments  revolted  from  the  truth  ;  and  the  oth- 
ers, who  proved  constant,  after  he  had  condemned 
them  of  heresy,  were  put  into  the  hands  of  the  ordinary 
judge,  who  at  that  time  was  one  Merianus,  a  cruel  per- 
secutor, and  who,  without  any  form  of  process,  or  order 
of  law,  put  such  as  the  official  had  pronounced  to  be  her- 
etics, to  death  with  most  cruel  torments. 

After  this  persecutor  was  dead,  one  Bartholomew  Ca- 
senes,  president  of  the  parliament  of  Provence,  became  a 
a  pestilent  persecutor,  whom  God  at  length  struck  with 
a  fearful  aild  sudden  death.  In  the  time  of  this  tyrant, 
those  of  Merindol  were  cited  personally  to  appear  before 
the  king's  attorney  ;  but  they  hearing  that  the  court  had 
determined  to  burn  them,  without  any  process  or  order  of 
law,  durst  not  appear  ai  tl\e  day  appointed;  for  which  cause, 
the  court  awarded  a  cruel  sentence  against  Merindol,  and 
condemned  all  the  inhabitants  to  be  burned,  men,  wom- 
en, and  children,  and  their  town  and  houses  to  be  razed 
to  the  ground,  and  their  country  to  be  made  a  desert  and 
wilderness,  never  more  to  be  inhabited.  This  bloody  ar- 
rest or  decree  seemed  strange  and  wonderful,  some  open- 
ly saying,  "  they  marvelled  that  the  parliament  should 
be  so  mad  as  to  give  out  an  arrest  so  manifestly  injuri- 
ous and  unjust,  and  contrary  to  all  reason  and  humanity;" 
others  said,  ''  the  judges  are  not  bound  to  observe  either 
right  or  reason  in  extirpating  such  as  are  suspected  to  be 
Lutherans  :"  but  whatever  was  said  in  opposition  to  this 
decree,  the  bishops,  from  time  to  time,  used  all  the  op- 
portunities to  endeavour  to  put  the  same  in  execution,  as 
appears  in  the  following  relation. 

Amongst  these  poor  men  that  suffered  in  Merindol, 
there  was  a  bookseller,  who,  for  setting  pubUcly  to  sale 
certain  bibles  in  French  and  Latin,  in  the  sight  of  the 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  167 

bishop  of  Aix,  and  other  prelates,  was  apprehended,  and 
and  committed  to  prison  ;  and  afterwards,  was  senten- 
ced and  burnt.  The  prelates  seeing  great  dissension  a- 
mongthe  people  of  Avinion  ;  and  that  many  murmured 
at  the  deat ;  of  tids  bookseller,  for  selling  the  bible,  to 
scare  t'^e  people,  the  next  day,  they  put  out  a  proclama- 
tion against  all  French  bibles,  fiat  none  should  keep 
them  in  their  hands,  upon  pain  of  death. 

After  this  proclamation,  the  bishop  of  Aix  endeavour- 
ed his  utmost  to  persecute  the  people  of  Merindol,  being 
very  earnest  with  the  president  to  that  effect,  and  to  put 
the  parliament's  arrest  and  decree  in  execution.  The 
president,  shewing  himself  unwilHng  to  the  bishop  to 
shed  innocent  blood,  pleaded,  "  the  king  would  be  dis- 
pleased to  have  such  destruction  made  of  his  subjects.'^ 
Then  said  the  bishop,  '•  though  the  king,  at  the  first,  do 
think  it  ill  done,  we  will  so  bring  it  to  pass,  that  in  a 
short  space,  he  should  think  it  well  done  ;  for  we  have 
the  cardinals  on  our  side,  especially  the  cardinal  of  Tour- 
non." 

By  these  arguments  of  the  bishop,  the  president  and 
council  of  the  parliament  were  persuaded  to  raise  a  force, 
and  destroy  the  people  of  Merindol,  according  to  the 
decree.  The  inhabitants  of  Merindol  hearing  thereof,  and 
seeing  nothing  but  present  death  to  be  at  hand,  with  great 
lamentation  commended  themselves  and  their  cause  unto 
God,  by  prayer,  and  made  themselves  ready  to  be  mur- 
dered, as  sheep  for  the  slaughter.  Wnilst  they  were  in 
this  grievous  distress,  there  was  one  raised  up,  called  the 
Lord  of  Alner,  to  plead  with  the  president  on  their  be- 
half, giving  the  president  several  reasons,  why  he  ought 
not  to  destroy  these  poor  chirstian  men  of  Merindol ;  by 
which  reasons,  the  president  was  persuaded,  and  imme- 
diately called  back  his  commission  which  he  had  given 
out ;  and  caused  the  army  to  retire,  which  was  within  a 
mile  and  a  half  of  Merindol ;  the  people  of  Merindol  un- 
derstanding, that  the  army  was  retired,  gave  thanks  unto 
God,  comforting  one  another  with  admonition  and  ex- 
hortation, always  to  have  the  fear  of  God  before  their 
eyes,  and  to  seek  after  the  everlasting  riches. 


163  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

The  noise  of  these  proceedings,  and  of  this  arrest  and 
decree,  coming  to  the  king  of  France's  ears,  he  appointed 
persons  to  make  inquiry  into  the  whole  matter,  and  to 
make  a  report  to  him  thereof,  and  what  manner  of  peo- 
ple these  Merindohans  w^ere. 

These  deputies  brought  a  copy  of  the  arrest,  decree, 
and  proceedings,  to  the  king's  lieutenant,  declaring  unto 
him  the  great  injuries,  polling,  extortions,  exactions, 
tyrannies,  and  cruelties,  which  the  judges,  as  well  secu- 
lar as  ecclesiastical,  had  used  against  them  of  Merindol 
and  others.  They  reported,  touching  the  behaviour  and 
disposition  of  those  who  were  persecuted,  '^  that  the 
most  part  of  the  men  of  Provence  affirmed  tliem  to  be 
men  given  to  great  labour  and  travel ;  and  that  about 
two  hundred  years  past,  (as  is  reported)  they  came  out  of 
the  country  of  Piedmont,  to  dwell  in  Provence,  and 
took  to  tillage,  and  to  inhabit  many  villages  destroyed  by 
the  wars,  which  they  had  so  well  husbanded,  that  there 
w^as  now  great  store  of  wine,  oil,  honey,  and  cattle,  so  that 
strangers  were  greatly  relieved ;  and  that  they  were  a 
peaceable,  quiet  people,  beloved  of  all  their  neighbours, 
men  of  good  behaviour,  constant  in  keeping  their  prom» 
ise,  and  paying  their  debts,  without  suing  men  at  law; 
that  they  Were  also  charitable  men,  giving  alms,  reliev- 
in£r  the  poor,  suffering  none  amongst  them  to  lack,  or  to 
be  in  necessity,  harbouring  and  nourishing  poor  stran- 
gers and  passengers,  in  their  necessities."  Moreover, 
*'  that  they  were  known  by  this  throughout  all  the  coun- 
try, that  they  would  not  swear ;  and  that,  if  they  heard 
any  swear^  blaspheme,  or  dishonour  God,  they  straight- 
ways  departed  out  of  their  company."  This  was  the  ten- 
or of  the  report  made  by  the  king's  lieutenant,  touching 
the  life  and  behaviour  of  these  inhabitants  of  Merindol, 
who  v;ere  persecuted  by  the  popish  bishops  and  cardi- 
nals ;  of  which,  the  lieutenant  advertised  tlie  king,  who 
was  a  good  prince;  and  moved  with  mercy  and  pity,  sent 
letters  to  the  parliament,  expressly  charging  and  com- 
manding them,  that  they  should  not,  hereafter,  proceed 
to  prosecute  the  said  arrest  and  decree  so  rigorously,  as 
they  had  done   before.^  against   this  people,  and  not  to 


PERSECUTED     BY    THE    PAPISTS.  169 

molest  or  trouble  them  in  person  or  goods  ;  and  to  com- 
mand them  to  set  at  liberty  all  prisoners,  who  either 
were  accused  or  suspected  of  Lutheranism ;  and  withal 
included  in  his  letter,  that  if  any  of  them  should  be  con- 
victed of  heresy,  by  the  scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament,  they  should  be  caused  to  abjure. 

Notwithstanding  this  letter  was  written  in  favour  to 
the  people  of  Merindol,  yet  the  bishop  of  Cavaillon 
took  advantage  of  one  part  of  it,  to  prosecute  his  malice 
against  them  ;  for,  upon  the  king's  letter,  the  parlia- 
ment ordained,  that  John  Durand,  counsellor  of  the 
parliament,  the  secretary,  and  the  bishop  of  Cavail- 
lon, witli  a  doctor  of  divinity,  should  go  to  Merin- 
dol, and  there  declare  to  the  inhabitants  the  errors  and 
heresies,  which  they  knew  to  be  contained  in  their  con- 
fession of  their  faith,  and  make  them  apparent  by  good 
and  sufficient  information  ;  and  having  so  convicted  them, 
by  the  word  of  God,  they  should  make  them  renounce  and 
alDJure  the  said  heresies;  and,  if  theyrefusedtoabjure,  then 
to  make  report  thereof,  that  the  court  might  appoint  how 
to  proceed  against  them.  The  bishop  of  Cavaillon  would 
not  tarry  till  the  time  appointed  by  the  court,  for  the  ex- 
ecution of  this  matter ;  but  he  himself,  with  a  doctor, 
went  to  Merindol,  to  make  them  abjure  ;  and  they  refus- 
ing, he  grew  very  angry  with  them. 

Shortly  after,  John  Durand,  counsellor  of  the  par- 
liament, went  to  execute  the  commission,  according  ta 
order,  to  wliom  the  bailiff  of  Merindol  said,  **  it  seem- 
eth  unto  me,  that  there  is  no  due  form  of  process  in  this 
judgment ;  for  there  is  no  party  here,  that  doth  accuse 
us ;  if  we  had  any  accuser  present,  ^v  ho,  according  to 
the  rule  of  the  scripture,  either  should  prove  by  good 
demonstration,  out  of  the  New  and  Old  Test^rfnents, 
that  of  which  we  are  accused ;  or,  if  he  were  not  able, 
should  suffer  punishment  due  unto  such  as  are  heretics ; 
I  think  he  will  be  as  greatly  troubled  to  maintain  his  ac- 
cusation, as  we  to  answer  unto  the  same." 

Thus,  things  debated  for  some  time;  but  the  bishop  and 
doctor  were   much  confounded  ;    and  tlie   inhabitants  of 

jrindol  enjoyed  rest  and  quiet  for  a  space,   until  John 

z 


170  PERSECUTED     BY     THE     PAPISTS. 

Miniers,  an  exceeding  bloody  tyrant,  began  a  new  perse- 
cution.  He  put  five  or  six  of  his  own  tenants  into  a 
cistern  under  the  ground,  and  closing  it  up,  he  kept 
them  there,  till  they  died  with  hunger,  pretending  that 
they  were  Lutherans  ;  but  it  was  to  get  their  goods  and 
possessions.  By  these  practices,  this  wretch  grew  great 
and  wealthy,  and  became  president  of  the  parliament,  and 
lieutenant-general  in  the  country  of  Provence.  He  em- 
ployed all  his  powers  to  obtain  letters  patent  from  the 
king,  to  prosecute  the  decree  against  the  people  of  Mer- 
indol,  which,  by  the  help  of  the  cardinal  of  Tournon,  he 
did  obtain.  After  this,  he  gathered  all  the  king's  army, 
and  employed  them  to  the  destruction  of  Merindol,  Cab- 
ries,  and  other  towns,  to  the  number  of  twenty-two,  giv- 
ing conmiission,  to  spoil,  ransack,  burn,  and  destroy  all 
together,  and  to  kill  man,  woman,  and  child  without  mer- 
cy. The  people  of  Merindol,  seeing  all  in  a  flame  round 
about  them,  left  their  houses,  and  fled  into  the  woods, 
carrying  their  children  upon  their  shoulders  a  day's  jour- 
ney ;  but  the  way  through  which  they  were  to  pass,  be- 
ing rough  and  cumbersome,  they  thought  it  expedient 
to  leave  the  women  and  children  behind,  hoping  that  the 
enemy  would  shew  mercy  to  them,  being  destitute  of  all 
succour.  No  tongue  can  express,  what  sorrow,  what 
tears,  what  sighings,  and  what  lamentations  there  were 
at  that  woful  parting,   when  they  were  compelled  to  be 

fius  separated  ;  the  husband  from  his  wife,  the  father 
om  his  tender  children,  and  never  like  to  see  each  oth- 
er again.  They  had  not  gone  far,  when  the  enemy  sud- 
denly came  upon  them,  and,  finding  them  assembling  to- 
gether  at  prayer,  spoiled  them  of  all  that  they  had  :  some 
tiiey  ravished  ;  and  others  they  scourged,  practising  what 
cruelty  and  villainy  they  could  devise  against  them  ;  the 
women  being  in  number  about  five  hundred.  Mi- 
niers  caused  thirty  men  to  be  carried  into  a  meadow,  and 
tliere  to  be  miserably  cut  and  hewed  to  ])ieces  by  sold- 
iers; and  he  had  forty  women  put  in  a  barn  full  of  straw,  and 
the  barn  was  set  on  fire,  which  destroyed  them.  Of  those 
that  were  so  unmercifully  murdered  by  this  bloody  tyrant, 
there  were  about  one  thousand  persons,  men,  women,  a^ 


PERSECUTED     BV    THE     PAPISTS.  171 

cliildren.  It  is  inexpressible,  how  lamentably  and  cru- 
elly these  poor  people  were  persecuted,  insomuch  that  no 
kind  of  cruelty  and  tyranny  was  left  unpractised  ;  for 
they  that  escaped  into  the  woods  and  mountains,  being 
taken,  were  either  slain  out-right,  or  put  in  the  galleys  and 
made  slaves.  Some  were  famished  in  rocks  and  caves 
with  hunger  ;  and  thus  it  continued,  till  God,  by  his 
just  judgments,  cut  off'  the  bloody  tyrant  Mhiiers,  by 
death. 


The  persecution  of  the  Waldaises  in  Atigrogna,  Lu- 
cerne,  Perouse,  Piedmont ,  and  other  places ^  from  the 
year  1555,  to  1561. 

Though  these  people,  by  long  persecution,  were 
driven  from  place  to  place  ;  and  in  all  places,  were  afflic- 
ted ;  yet  they  were  not  utterly  destroyed,  and  would  nev- 
er yield  to  the  superstitions  of  the  popish  religion,  but 
abstained  from  their  idolatry.  They  had  many  books  of 
the  New  Testament  translated  into  their  own  language  ; 
they  lived,  in  great  simplicity,  by  the  sweat  of  their 
brows  ;  and  they  were  quiet  and  peaceable  among  their 
neighbours,  abstaining  from  oaths,  games,  dancing,  and 
fihhy  songs.  The  said  people,  at  Angrogna,  having 
drawn  up  a  confession  of  their  f^iith,  it  was  by  learntA 
men,  at  the  king's  court,  condemned  as  heretical ;  where- 
fore, the  king  required  them  to  give  obedience  to  the 
church  of  Rome,  on  pain  of  loss  of  goods  and  life  ;  and 
to  give  their  answer  in  three  days  ;  but,  uj)on  some  of 
the  German  princes  interceding  Avith  the  French  king, 
on  their  behalf,  and  desiring  him  to  show  some  pity  to 
these  churches,  they  were  not  molested  for  three  }ears  ; 
only  one  of  their  ministers,  viz.  Jefiery  Varnigle,  who 
travelled  from  place  to  place,  was  apprehended,  and  suf- 
fered martyrdom.  But  the  pope  envying  this  liberty,  ob- 
tained through  the  moderation  of  the  German  princes, 
who  entreated  on  their  behalf,  he  stirred  up  the  duke  of 
S^oy  against  them  (who  inhisovrii  nature  wus  rather  in^ 


172  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

clined  to  let  them  live  in  quietness,)  telling  him,  "  that  he 
ought  to  banish  the  Waldenses,  for  they  were  a  rebell- 
ious people  against  the  holy  mother,  the  church."  These 
instigations  caused  great  persecutions  on  these  poor  peor 
pie  :  for,  soon  after,  several  of  them  were  burnt ;  many 
fled,  and  their  houses  w^ere  ransacked  ;  some  were  taken 
and  sent  to  the  galleys  ;  and  proclamations  were  put  out, 
that  none  should  goto  their  assembhes,  on  pain  of  death. 
In  the  midst  of  this  suffering,  they  thought  the  best  way 
to  put  a  stop,  was  to  send  to  the  duke  a  declaration  of 
their  religion,  and  wherefore  they  suffered,  which  they 
did,  withal  declaring,  *'  that,  if  by  the  word  of  God,  it 
could  be  proved,  that  they  were  in  error,  they  should  not 
be  obstinate,  but  be  reformed,  &:c."  After  this,  the 
persecution  seemed  somewhat  to  abate  for  a  time  ;  but 
in  the  month  called  June,  following,  it  was  first  proposed 
to  them,  to  put  away  their  ministers  that  were  strangers; 
which  they  refusing  to  do,  it  was  tlien  commanded,  in 
the  duke's  name,  that  they  should  banish  from  them  all 
their  ministers  that  were  strangers.  A  new  proclamation 
was  put  out,  persecution  began  afresh,  and  many  of  the 
said  people  were  slain,  and  many  imprisoned,  and  cruel- 
ly handled ;  the  monks  being  very  active  in  this  perse- 
cution ;  in  one  place,  causing  two  women  to  carry 
faggots  to  the  lire,  where  their  minister  was  burnt,  and 
to  speak  these  w^ords  to  him  :  ''  Take  this,  thou  wicked 
fteretic,  in  recompense  of  the  naughty  doctrine  thou  hast 
taught  us."  To  whom,  he  said,  "ah !  good  women,  I  have 
taught  you  well,  but  you  have  learned  ill."  Great  were 
the  havoc  and  ruin  they  made  upon  these  poor  people's 
estates  and  bodies,  in  this  persecution.  And  not  long  af- 
ter, an  army  was  raised  to  destroy  the  Waldows  ;  which 
they  hearing,  their  ministei*s  met  with  the  chief  rulers, 
to  advise  what,  in  such  an  extremity,  it  was  best  to  do. 
Upon  due  consideration,  they  concluded  not  to  defend 
themselves  by  force  of  arms,  but  to  flee  to  the  mountains, 
and  carry  their  goods  with  them.  Others  of  the  minis- 
ters, hearing  of  the  resolution,  that  they  at  Angrogna  and 
Lucerne  had  made,  thought  it  strange,  that  they  might 
not  defend  themselves,  against  their  enemies'   violence, 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  173 

in  SO  just  a  cause,  knowing  that  it  was  the  pope  and  his 
ministers  who  were  the  cause  of  their  troubles.  And 
some  stood  in  their  own  defence,  and  made  great  slaugh- 
ter upon  their  enemies  at  times  ;  and  when  they  pursued 
their  enemies,  they  often  retired  to  avoid  shedding  blood, 
meaFiing  only  to  defend  themselves  ;  and  they  held  their 
adversaries  so  tightly  to  it,  that  they  were  at  last  brought 
to  make  a  peace,  upon  articles  and  conditions,  so  that  the 
persecution  was  stopped ;  and  the  pride,  malice,  and 
rage  of  their  adversaries  were  abated. 

Thus,  having  given  a  brief  account,  of  the  trou- 
bles and  persecutions,  sustained  by  the  faithful  martyrs, 
in  foreign  parts,  it  remains  to  give  a  farther  relation,  of 
such  as  suffered  in  England,  in    this  king's  reign. 

After  the  light  of  the  gospel  began  to  shine  and  increase, 
beyond  sea,  the  beams  of  it  began  to  spread  and  grow 
more  in  England  ;  and  a  great  stir  and  alteration  follow- 
ed in  the  hearts  of  many,  so  that  coloured  hypocrisy 
and  painted  holiness  began  to  be  spied  more  and  more, 
by  such  as  in  any  measure  tasted  of  the  truth  ;  and  some 
there  were  that  could  distinguish  Christ  from  antichrist : 
amongst  whom,  was  one  Simon  Fish,  of  Gray's  Inn, 
who  wrote  a  sharp  book,  entitled,  *'  The  Supplica- 
tion of  beggars,  against  the  corruption  of  the  clerg}-  ;" 
which  book  was  written  beyond  sea,  he  having  fled  thi- 
ther for  fear  of  cardinal  Woolsey,  who  had  taken  a  dis- 
taste against  him  ;  in  this  book,  was  shewn  what  a  grej§ 
oppression  the  priests  and  clergy  were  to  the  nation  ;  and 
that  they  had  got  into  their  hands  more  than  a  third  part 
of  the  realm,  besides  their  tithes  of  all  the  increase 
of  corn,  hay,  &c.  The  book  being  read  to  the  king, 
after  a  pause,  he  said,  *'  If  a  man  should  pull  down  an 
old  stone  wall,  and  begin  at  the  lower  part,  the  upper 
part  thereof  might  chance  to  fall  on  his  head;"  and 
he  took  the  book,  and  put  it  in  his  desk,  and  seemed 
to  be  pleased  with  it  ;  for  he  encouraged  Simon  Fish's 
Vife,  to  send  for  her  husband  to  come  before  him  ;  but 
notwithstanding  he  liked  it,  he  would  make  no  show  of 
it  openly  ;  for  that  book,  and  others,  being  spread  about 
London,  the  cardinal  acquainted  the  king  therewith,  and 


174  PERSECUTED    BY     THE     PAPISTS. 

bade  him  beware  of  them ;  and  the  cardinal  and  bishop 
of  London  consulted,  hov/  they  might  stop  the  mischief 
that  might  accrue  by  that  and  other  books,  being  spread 
about.  Whereupon  tliey  agreed,  that  the  bishop  of 
London  should  send  forth  a  proclamation  to  call  in  the 
New  Testament,  translated  hito  English  ;  the  Supplica- 
tion of  Beggars  ;  the  Revelation  of  Antichrist,  by  Mar  • 
tin  Luther  ;  and  other  books  in  English.  This  was  one 
way  they  took,  by  which  they  thought  to  have  suppress- 
ed the  growth  of  those  they  accounted  heretics  ;  but  not 
thinking  that  sufficient,  they  obtained  a  proclamation 
from  the  king  to  suppress  the  sectaries,  heretics,  and 
Lollards,  and  for  abolishing  divers  of  their  books,  iiv 
English.  The  bishops  having  now  what  they  would 
have,  there  was  no  diligence  wanting  on  their  part,  for 
putting  the  same  in  execution ;  whereupon  ensued  a 
prievous  persecution  and  slaughter  of  the  faithful. 

The  first  that  went  to  wreck  was  Thomas  Bilney,  who, 
after  his  examination  and  condemnation,  by  Dr.  Pell's 
chancellor,  was  committed  to  the  sheriffs  of  the  city 
of  Norwich.  A  day  before  his  execution,  some 
friends  being  with  him,  comforted  him,  that  though  he 
WMS  to  go  tlirough  the  fire,  the  Lord  would  refresh  him 
in  it.  At  this,  -he  put  his  finger  in  the  candle,  (as  he 
used  to  do  divers  times)  saying,  "  I  know  the  fire  is  hot; 
and  my  body  shall  be  wasted  by  it ;  and  it  is  a  pain  for 

ttime  ;"  but  he  would  often  rehearse  this  scripture  for 
comfort ;  ''  fear  not,  for  I  have  redeemed  thee,  I 
have  called  thee  by  thy  name  :  thou  art  mine  ;  when 
tliou  passet  through  the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee  :  when 
thou  walkest  through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burnt ; 
neither  shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee  ;  fori  am  tlieLord 
thy  God,  the  holy  one  of  Israel,  t  hy  Saviour."  Goingto  exe- 
cution, he  said,  ''the  mariner,  for  awhile,  meets  with  a  trou- 
bled sea;  and  is  tossed  with  the  waves;  but  he  is  in  hopes, 
when  he  comes  to  the  haven,  he  shall  be  at  quiet ;  I 
doubt  not  (though  I  feel  storms)  but  by  God's  grace,  I 
shall  attain  to  the  liaven."  And  being  brought  to  the 
stake,  lie  very  patiently  endured  the  fire  till  death. 


PERSECUTED     BY     THE     PAPISTS,  175 

The  next  that  suffered  was  Richard  Bayfield,  who  re- 
ceived the  truth,  ma  measure,  and  for  reading  the  Testament 
in  Enghsh,  and  a  book  called  *'  The  Wicked  Mammon," 
&c.  he  was  cast  into  prison,  and  there  severely  whipped, 
with  a  gag  in  his  mouth,  and  then  stocked,  and  con- 
tinued in  prison  three  quarters  of  a  year  ;  and  then  was  set 
at  liberty  ;  but  was  soon  after  taken  again,  and  put  in  the 
coal-house,  where  he  was  tied  by  the  neck,  middle,  and 
legs,  standing  upright  by  the  wall.  Tliis  punishment  was 
inflicted  on  him,  to  make  him  confess  who  bought  his 
books ;  but  he  accused  none,  stood  to  his  religion,  and 
told  them  he  would  dispute  for  his  faith.  At  his  trial,  he 
was  accused  of  divers  things ;  but  the  chief  were,  for 
bringing  books  over  from  beyond  sea,  and  spreading  them 
in  England.  On  the  twentieth  day  of  November,  1532, 
he  was  had  into  the  choir  of  Paul's  cathedral ;  where  the 
bishop  of  London,  with  other  prelates,  passed  sentence  on 
him,  and  he  was  delivered  to  the  sheriffs  of  London,  to  be 
carried  to  Newgate ;  and  from  thence,  to  the  place  of  exe- 
cution ;  but  first,  the  sheriffs  were  commanded  to  have 
him  into  the  vestry,  and  to  bring  him  forth  again  in  anti- 
christ's apparel,  to  be  degraded,  having  been  a  monk. 
Then  the  bishop  took  his  crosier  and  smote  him  on 
the  breast,  by  which  he  threw  him  down  back^\'ards,  and 
broke  his  head,  and  he  swooned  ;  but  coming  to  himself 
again,  he  tlianked  God,  that  he  was  delivered  from  this 
malignant  church  of  antichrist ;  and  being  led  to  New-^ 
gate,  litter  one  hour's  respite,  he  was  had  to  the  fii'e  an^ 
burnt. 

John  Tewksberry,  leather- seller,  of  London,  was  con- 
verted by  the  reading  of  die  Testament  in  English,  and 
the  book  called  "  The  Wicked  Mammon."  In  the 
month,  called  April,  in  the  year  1529,  he  was  brought 
before  the  bishop  of  London,  in  the  open  consistory  ; 
where  he  disputed  with  the  bishops  and  the  prelates,  con- 
cerning his  faith ;  and  was  very  expert  and  prompt  in  his 
answers  to  them  ;  being  so  indued  with  heavenly  wisdom, 
that  they  were  not  able  to  resist  him,  insomuch  that  the 
bishops  were  ashamed,  that  a  leather-seller  should  so 
confijund  them.     He  affirmed  in  liis  doctrine,  that  there 


176  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

was  no  purgatory  after  this  life,  but  that  the  souls  of  the 
faithful,  departing  this  Ufe,  rest  with  Christ ;  that  prayers 
ought  not  to  be  made  to  saints,  there  being  no  other  advo- 
cate but  Christ  alone.  For  which,  and  other  principles, 
he  was  condemned  to  die  by  the  bishop  of  London  :  and 
by  him  delivered  to  the  sheriffs  thereof ;  and  by  them 
burnt  in  Smithfield. 

Edward  Freese,  painter,  for  painting  upon  clothes  in 
an  inn,  certain  sentences  of  scripture,  was  noted  to  be  a 
heretic  ;  and  was  apprehended,  and  brought  to  London  ; 
and  from  thence,  had  to  the  bishop's  house  at  Fulham, 
where  he  was  imprisoned,  with  several  other  men  and 
their  wives  ;  and  fed  with  bread,  part  of  which  was  made 
of  saw-dust;  andthey  were  kept  so  close  in  prison,  that  their 
relations  were  not  suffered  to  come  at  them.  The  pain- 
ter's wife  being  pregnant,  was  very  desirous  to  see  her 
husband;  and  pressing  to  go  into  the  prison,  the  bishop's 
porter  kicked  her  on  the  belly,  so  that  her  child  died  im- 
mediately, and  she  died  soon  after. 

The  prisoners  were  all  put  in  the  stocks  for  a  long 
time;  and  after  they  were  let  loose,  some  had  horse-locks 
put  on  their  legs,  and  some  other  irons.  The  painter 
would  often  be  writing  on  the  walls  with  chalk  or  coal ; 
which  so  provoked  his  adversaries,  that  they  manacled 
his  wrists  so  long,  that  the  flesh  of  his  arms  grew  higher 
than  the  iron.  From  that  prison,  he  was  brought  to  the 
Lollard's  tower,  and  there  kept  three  days,  without  meat, 
^nd  used  so  hard,  that  he  lost  his  understanding  and 
sense.  • 

Valentine  Freese,  (brother  of  the  said  Edward 
Freese,)  and  his  wife,  were  both  burned,  at  one  stake  in 
York,  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ. 

JamesBainham,  son  of  a  knight  in  Gloucestershire,  \vas 
a  man  of  virtuous  disposition,  and  a  godly  conversation ; 
much  given  to  prayer  and  reading  the  scriptures,  a  great 
maintainer  of  the  godly,  a  visiter  of  the  prisoners,  liberal 
and  merciful,  dehghting  in  doing  equity  and  justice  to 
the  poor,  very  dihgent  in  giving  counsel  to  all  widows, 
fatherless,  and  afflicted,  without  money  or  reward,  being 
a  man  bred  in  the  knowledge  of  the  law.     He,  for  his 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS,  17? 

religion,  was  apprehended  by  the  instigation  of  Thomas 
Moore,  chancellor  of  England,  who  kept  him  prisoner  in 
his  own  house,  and  whipped  him  at  a  tree  in  his  garden, 
which  he  called,  the  tree  of  troth.     From  thence,  he  sent 
him  to  the  tower,  to  be  racked,  being  himself  present  to  see 
it  effectually  done,  till  in  a  manner  he  had  lamed  him,  to 
make  him  confess  where  his  books  were  ;   and   because 
his  wife  denied  that  they  were  at  his  house,  she  was  sent  to 
the  fleet,  and  their  goods  were  confiscated.    These  tortures 
making  him   confess    nothing,    the  chancellor  sent  him 
to  the  bishop  of  London,    in  the  year  1531,  who  exam- 
ined him,  upon  certain  points,  concerning  his  religion  ;  and 
asked,  "  whether  he  believed  there  was  any  purgatory  of 
souls  hence  departed  V   to  which  he,  answered,  '*  if  we 
walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light,  w^e  have  fellowship 
one  with  another  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son 
cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.  If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we 
decei\'e  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us.     If  we  confess 
our  sins,  he    is  faidiful  and  just,  to  forgiv^e  us  our  sins, 
and    to    cleanse  us  from    all  unrighteousness.     Several 
other   things  they  objected  against  him,  and  often  had  him 
again  before  them,  threatening  him  with  the  danger  that 
would  ensue,  if  he  did  not  abjure  his  religion;  whereupon, 
being  overtiikcn  with  fear,  he  consented  unto  them.  After 
he  had  abjured,  the  chancellor  fined  him  twenty  pounds  to 
the  king,  and  enjoined  him  penance,  which  was,  to  go  be- 
fore tlie  cross  in  procession  at  Paul's,  and  to  stand  befQ|fc^ 
the  preacher,  during  the  sermon  at  Paul's  cross,  witl^H^ 
faggot  upon  his  shoulder,  and  to  return  with  the  sumn^r 
to  prison  again  ;  but  soon  after,  he  was  discharged  of  his 
imprisonment;  and  before  he  had  been  at  liberty  a  month, 
he  bewailed  his  fact  and  abjuration,  and  never  was  quiet 
in  his  mind  and  conscience,  until,  before  a  congregation 
of  the  people  of  God,  who  in  those  days  met  in  a  ware- 
liouse  in  Bow-lane,  he  uttered  hi.^  condemnation  of  the  flict, 
asking  of  God  and  that  assembly   forgiveness.     And  the 
next  Sunday  (so  called)  afterwards,  he  went  to  a  place  call- 
ed St.  Austins,  and  stood  up  in  a  pew,  with  a  Testament 
in  English  in  his  hand  ;  and  with  tears  declared  to  the  peo- 
ple, *'  that  lie  had  denied  God,  and  desired  the  people  to 

2a 


178  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

forgive  him,  and  to  beware  of  his  weakness,  and  rather  t® 
choose  to  die,  than  to  do  as  he  did;  for  he  would  not, 
for  all  the  world,  feel  again  such  a  hell  as  he  had  done  ;"  to 
this  purpose,  he  also  wrote  to  the  bishop,  whereupon  he 
was  shortly  after  apprehended,  and  committed  to  the  tow- 
er of  London  ;  from  thence,  he  w^as  removed  to  the  bish- 
op's coal-house,  where  he  lay  two  weeks  in  the  stocks,  with 
irons  upon  his  legs  :  then  he  was  carried  to  the  chancel- 
lor's, and  there  chained  to  a  post  two  nights  :  from  thence, 
he  was  had  to  Fulham,  where  he  was  cruelly  handled,  for 
the  space  of  a  week  :  from  thence,  he  was  committed  to 
the  tower,  where  he  lay  a  fortnight,  and  was  scourged  with 
whips,  to  make  him  revoke  his  opinions  :  from  thence,  he 
was  carried  to  Barking  :  and  from  thence,  to  Chelsea,  and 
was  there  condemned  :  and  from  thence,  conveyed  to  New- 
gate ;  and  by  the  sheriffs  of  London,  was  had  into  Smith- 
field  ;  and  there  burnt  to  death,  the  last  day  of  the  month 
called  April,  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

In  the  year  1532,  Robert  King,  Nicholas  March,  Ro- 
beilGai'dner,  allofDedham;  and  Robert  Debnam,  ofEst- 
hergholt,  being  burdened  in  their  consciences  to  see  the 
honour  and  power  of  the  Almighty  living  God  blasphem- 
ed, by  people's  adoring  an  idol,  called,  the  Rood  of  Dover- 
court,  to  which  many  people  greatly  resorted,  ignorantly 
believing  a  common  rumour  spread  abroad,  that  no  man 
had  power  to  shut  the  door  of  the  house  of  worship, 
here  that  idol  stood  ;  whereupon,  the  aforesaid  four  men 

re  moved,  by  the  spirit  of  God,  to  travel  out  of  Dedham, 
m  a  frosty  moonshiny  night,  ten  miles,  to  the  place  where 
the  idol  stood;  and  they  took  it  from  its  shrine,  and  carried  it 
aquarter  of  a  mile,  and  there  struck  fire,  andset  it  on  fire;  for 
which  fact,  three  of  them  were  indicted  as  felons,  and  were- 
hanged  in  chains  about  half  a  year  after.  And  it  is  record- 
ed, that  at  their  death,  through  the  working  of  the  spirit 
of  God,  they  bore  such  a  living  testimony,  that  the  people 
were  more  edified  in  tlie  trudi,  than  they  had  been  by  all 
the  sermons  they  had  heard  preached  before. 

The  fourth  man,  viz.  Robert  Gardner,  would  have  suf- 
fered the  same  death,  had  he  not  fled  away^  and  thereby 
escaped  tlieir  hands. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  179 

The  same  year,  there  were  many  more  images  cast  down, 
and  destroyed  in  many  places. 

John  Frith,  a  godly  yomig  man,  and  one  of  great  •  parts 
and  wit,  of  a  ready  capacity,  and  a  great  scholar,  becoming 
acquainted  with  William  Tindal,  he  first,  through  his  in- 
structions, received  into  his  heart  the  seed  of  the  gospel, 
and  sincere  godliness. 

The  said  John  Frith,  and  divers  young  men  of  grave 
judgment  and  sharp  wit,  conferring  together  upon  the 
abuses  of  religion,  which  at  that  time  had  crept  into  the 
church,  were  therefore  accused  of  heresy,  to  cardinal 
Woolsey  ;  and  cast  into  a  prison  within  a  deep  cave,  un- 
der a  college  in  Oxford,  where  they  used  to  lay  their  salt 
fish,  the  stink  of  which  so  infected  their  bodies,  that  three 
of  them  died  in  a  little  space.  The  fourth  was  John  Frith, 
who  was  shortly  after  discharged  out  of  prison,  and  trav- 
elled beyond  sea  ;  and,  after  two  years,  returning  into  Eng- 
land, and  being  at  Reading,  it  happened  that  he  was  taken 
as  a  vagabond,  and  was  put  in  the  stocks  ;  and  there  kept 
so  long  that  he  was  almost  starved  with  hunger  ;  yet  would 
not  discover  who  he  was  ;  but  desired  to  speak  with  the 
school-master  of  the  town,  with  whom  he  discoursed  in 
Latin  :  the  school-master  perceiving  that  he  was  a  schol- 
ar, and  a  young  man  of  excellent  parts,  obtained  of  the  ma^ 
gistrates  his  liberty,  which  he  enjoyed  not  long,  being  pur- 
sued by  sir  Thomas  Moore,  chancellor,  who  persecute^ 
him  both  by  sea  and  land,  promising  a  great  reward  to  aiW"  '^ 
that  could  bring  tidings  of  him.  Soon  after,  he  was  ap- 
prehended, and  committed  to  the  tower  of  London,  where 
he  had  many  conflicts  with  the  bishops  ;  but  especially,  in 
writing,  with  the  chancellor  ;  and  afterwards  was  carried 
to  Lambeth,  before  the  bishop  of  Canterbury,  and  from 
thence  to  Croydcn,  before  the  bishop  of  Winchester  ;  and, 
last  of  all,  he  was  brought  before  the  bishop,  in  a  common 
assembly  at  London.  The  whole  matter  of  his  examina- 
tion before  them,  was  comprehended  in  t\\'o  special  ar- 
ticles ;  purgatory,  and  the  substance  of  the  sacra- 
ments; to  which,  he  answered  very  fully  and  wisely,  and  in 
great  moderation  and  uprightness  ;  but  no  reason  would 
prevail  against  the  force  and  cruelty  of  his  adversaries.  On 


180  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

the  twentieth  day  of  the  month,  called  June,  1533,  he  was 
brought  before  several  bishops  at  Paul's,  who  seeing,  that 
by  no  means,  they  could  persuade  him  to  recant,  the  bishop 
of  London  condemned  him  to  be  burnt,  and  passed  sen- 
tence against  him  to  that  effect. 

About  this  time,  John  Chapman,  Andrew  Hewet,  and 
John  Tibauld,  being  men  zealous  for  religion  and  piety, 
were  informed  against ;  and,  by  the  bishop  of  London's 
chancellor,  and  others,  were  apprehended  and  carried 
to  the  bishop's  house,  Hewet  was  sent  to  the  Lollard's 
tower  ;  and  Chapman  and  Tibauld  were  kept  asunder  in 
the  bishop's  house,  till  the  next  day  when  he  came  from 
Fulham,  and  examined  them  ;  and  not  liking  their  con- 
fession, he  committed  Chapman  to  the  stocks,  with  this 
threat,  that  he  should  tell  another  tale,  or  else  he  should 
sit  there  till  his  heels  dropped  off.  He  shut  Tibauld  up  in 
a  close  chamber  ;  but  afterwards  delivered  him  out  of  pris- 
on, with  this  injunction;  that  he  should  not  come  within 
seven  miles  of  his  own  house.  Chapman,  after  many  threat- 
enings  and  five  weeks  imprisonment,  three  weeks  whereof 
he  sat  in  the  stocks,  by  suit  made  to  the  chancellor  on  his 
behalf,  was  discharged  out  of  prison.  Hewet  being 
brought  before  the  bishops,  andasked,  what  he  thought  con- 
cerning the  sacrament  ?  he  answered,  ''even  as  Frith  doth." 
At  which  the  bishop  smiled  ;  and  one  of  them  said,  ''  why 
^^'rith  is  an  heretic,  and  is  condemned  to  be  burnt ;  and  ex- 
'  cept  thou  revoke  thy  opinion,  thou  shalt  be  burnt  with 
-4aim."'  ''Truly,"  said  he,  "  I  am  contented  therewith," 
Whereupon,  he  was  sent  to  the  prison  to  Frith  ;  and  on 
the  fov^rth  day  of  the  month,  called  July,  he  was  carried  to 
Smithfield  with  Frith,  and  there  burnt. 

Thomas  Bennet,  a  school -master,  in  Exeter,  a  man  of  a 
godly  conversation,  and  a  favourer  of  such  as  suffered  for 
their  zeal  to  the  true  religion,  alter  he  had  lived  in  a  retired 
condition  six  years,  he  could  no  longer  refrain  from  bear- 
ing a  testimony  against  the  idolatry  of  those  times,  though 
his  blood  were  shed  for  the  same.  He  wrote  on  a  paper 
which  he  set  upon  the  doors  of  a  house  of  worship  in  the 
{:ity,  '^  the  pope  is  antichrist,  and  we  ought  to  worship 
CJp4  only,  and  not  saints."     This  paper  being  seen,  great 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  181 

search  and  inqiiin^  were  made,  ^vhat  heretic  had  set  it  up  ; 
but  seeing  they  could  not  find  the  author  out  at  that  time, 
they  agreed,  that  the  sentence  of  a  curse  should  be  pro- 
nounced against  him  that  did  it  ;  the  manner  of  which 
curse  was  as followeth. 

The  priest  being  in  the  pulpit,  clothed  in  white  ;  and 
the  monks  and  friars  standing  about  him,  the  cross  was 
held  up  Vvith  candles  fixed  to  the  same.  Then  said  the 
priest,  *'  by  the  authority  of  God,  the  Father  Almighty, 
and  of  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary,  of  St.  Peter  and  Paul,  and 
of  the  holy  saints,  we  excommunicate,  we  utterly  curse 
and  bann,  commit  and  deliver  to  the  devil  of  hell,  him,  or 
her,  Avhatsoever  he,  or  she  be,  that  has  in  spite  of  God, 
and  of  St.  Peter,  whose  church  this  is,  in  spite  of  all  holy 
saints,  and  in  spite  of  our  most  holy  father  the  pope,  God's 
Vicar  here  in  earth  ;  and  in  spite  of  the  reverend  Father  in 
God,  John  our  Diocesian,  and  the  worshipful  canons,  mas- 
ters, priests,  and  clerks,  which  serve  God  daily  in  this  ca- 
thedral church,  fixed  up  with  wax  such  cursed  and  here- 
tical bills,  full  of  blasphemy,  upon  the  doors  of  this,  and 
other  holy  churches  within  this  city  ;  excommunicated  be 
he,  she,  or  they  plenarily,  and  delivered  over  to  the  devil, 
as  perpetual  malefactors  and  schismatics ;  accursed  they 
be,  and  eiven  bodv  and  soul  to  the  devil :  cursed  be  the\% 
he,  or  sh-j,  in  cities  and  towns,  in  fields  and  ways,  in  hous- 
es and  oi.t  of  houses,  and  all  other  places,  standing,  Jyiug, 
or  rising,  walking,  running,  waking,  sleeping,  eatijf  ^ 
drinking,  and  whatsoever  thing  they  do  besides.  We  sq^ 
aratc  them.,  him,  or  her,  from  the  threshold,  and  from  all  trie 
good  prayers  of  the  church,  from  the  participation  of  the 
holy  mass,  and  from  all  sacraments,  chapels,  and  dtars  ; 
from  holy  bread,  and  holy  water  ;  from  all  the  merits  of 
God's  priests  and  rehgious  men  ;  and  from  all  their  clois- 
ters ;  from  all  their  pardons,  privileges,  grants,  and  immu- 
nities, which  all  the  holy  fathers,  popes  of  Rome,  have 
granted  to  them  ;  and  we  give  them  over  utterly  to  the 
power  of  the  devil  ;  and  let  us  quench  their  souls,  if  they 
be  dead,  this  night,  in  the  pains  of  hell -fire,  as  this  candle 
is  now  quenched,  and  put  out ;  (and  with  that  he  put  out 
one  of  the  candles)  and  let  us  pray  to  (3od,  if  they  be  alive, 


182  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

that  their  eyes  may  be  put  out,  as  this  candle  light  is  ;  (so 
he  puts  out  another  candle)  let  us  pray  to  God  and  our  la- 
dy, and  to  St.  Peter  and  Paul,  and  all  holy  saints,  that  all 
the  senses  of  their  body  may  fail  them  ;  and  that  they  may 
have  no  feeling,  as  now  the  light  of  this  candle  is  gone^ 
(and  so  he  put  out  the  third  candle)  except  they,  he,  or  she 
come  openl}'  now,  and  confess  their  blasphemy;  and  by  re- 
pentence  (as  in  them  shall  lie)  make  satisfaction  unto  God, 
our  lady,  St.  Peter,  and  the  worshipful  company  of  this 
Cathedral  church." 

Bennet,  being  not  able  to  digest  these  fooleries,  wrote 
other  bills,  and  caused  them  to  be  set  upon  the  gates  of 
the  grave-yard  ;  but  the  person  that  set  them  up,  being  ta- 
ken in  the  action,  Thomas  Bennet  was  thereby  discovered; 
and  being  apprehended,  confessed  they  were  his  bills,  and 
that  he  would  do  it  again,  to  discover  the  abominable  blas- 
phemy of  their  antichrist,  the  pope,  and  to  let  people  see, 
that  he  is  the  boar  come  out  of  the  wood,  which  destroyeth 
and  thrown th  down  the  hedges  of  God's  church.  Where- 
upon, he  was  committed  to  prison  ;  and  the  next  day,  was 
had  to  the  bishop,  who  committed  him  to  prison  again, 
where  he  was  kept  in  the  stocks  with  strong  irons,  without 
much  favour.  Then  his  house  was  searched  for  books, 
and  his  wife  shamefully  abused,  which  she  bore  with  pa- 
tience, being  contented  to  bear  the  cross  with  her  husband, 

fare  hardly  with  him,  and  to  subsist  on  coarse  meat  and 
Viiik.  A  gray  friar  reminding  Bennet  of  the  many  dan- 
pyv^.  that  he  was  liable  to  fall  into,  in  that  condition,  Thomas 
replied,  "  my  life  is  not  dear  to  me  ;  I  had  rather  by  death, 
v.'hich  I  know  is  not  far  off,  depart  this  life,  than  to  partake 
of  your  detestable  idolatries  and  superstitions,  or  be  subject 
to  antichrist,  your  pope." 

Darin 2:  the  time  of  his  imnrisonment,  the  hate  of  the 
people,  through  ignorance,  was  great  against  him,  notwith- 
standing they  could  never  move  his  patience.  In  his  im- 
]^risonnient,  his  wife  provided  sustenance  for  him  :  w^heu 
she  lamented,  he  comforted  her,  and  gave  her  many  good 
and  godly  exhortations  ;  and  desired  her  not  to  move  him 
to  comply  with  his  adversaries.  After  the  clergy  saw,  they 
could  by  no  means  cause  him  to  recant,  they  condemned 


PERSECUTED    BY     THE    PAPISTS.  183 

him  to  be  burnt,  and  delivered  him  to  the  sheriff  of  Devon- 
shire to  see  him  executed.  The  mild  man  rejoicing  to 
see  his  end  approach  so  near,  as  the  sheep  before  the  shear- 
er, yielded  himself,  with  all  humility,  to  abide  and  suffer  the 
cross  of  persecution.  Being  brought  to  his  execution,  in 
a  place  called  Livery  Dole,  without  Exeter,  he  gravely  and 
soberly  advised  the  people,  *' to  seek  the  honour  of  God, 
and  the  knowledge  of  him,  and  to  leave  the  devices  and 
imaginations  of  men's  inventions  ;"  and  saying,  "  Oh 
Lord,  receive  my  spirit  1"  he  p^itienly  endured  the  cruelty 
of  the  fire  until  his  life  was  ended. 

Thus,  the  reader  hath  an  account  of  such  as  sustained 
death  for  Christ's  cause,  through  the  rigorous  proclamation 
aforesaid,  published  in  the  name  of  the  king,  but  indeed 
procured  by  the  bishops ;  and  by  them  so  strictly  executed, 
that  a  good  man  could  scarcely  appeiu*  abroad  without  be- 
ing apprehended,  and  either  brought  to  the  fire,  or  forced 
to  abjure  his  religion.  A  great  number  of  instances  arc 
particularly  mentioned  in  Fox's  Acts  and  Monuments, 
which,  for  brevity  sake,  are  here  omitted. 

Thomas  Philip  was  one  of  them  that  was  prosecuted  ; 
and  being  asked  by  the  bishop,  whether  he  would  abjure 
or  not,  he  said,  ''  except  ye  shew  me  cause  wherefore  I 
should  abjure,  I  will  not  say,  yea,  or  nay  to  it ;  but  will 
stand  to  my  appeal."  Then  the  bishop  read  openly  the 
bill  of  excommunication  against  him,  charging  all  men  to 
have  no  company,  or  any  thing  to  do  with  him.  Afti||j 
this  excommunication,  what  became  of  him,  whether  he 
was  burnt,  or  died  in  the  tower,  no  mention  is  made  in  the 
register.  I  mention  him,  because  a  letter  that  was  found 
in  his  pocket,  is  w  orth  taking  notice  of.  It  is  as  followeth  : 

ji  letter  directed  to  Thomas   Philips   m  the  name  of  the 
brethren^  and  given  him  by  the  way  going  to  the  tower, 

*'  The  favour  of  him  that  is  able  to  keep  you,  that  you 
fall  not,  and  to  confess  your  name  in  the  kingdom  of  glory, 
and  to  give  you  strength  by  his  spirit  to  confess  him,  before 
all  his  adversaries,  be  with  you,  ever,  Amen. 

The  brethren  think,  that  there  be  divers  false  brethren 
craftily  crept  in  among  them,  to  seek  out  their  freedom  m 


184  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS, 

the  Lord,  that  they  may  accuse  them  to  the  Lord's  adver- 
saries, as  they  suppose  they  have  done  you  ;  wherefore,  if 
it  be  so  that  the  spirit  of  God  move  you  thereunto,  thev, 
as  counsellors,  desire  you  above  all  things,  to  be  steadfast 
in  the  Lord's  truth,  without  fear  ;  for  he  shall  and  will  be 
your  help,  according  to  his  promise,  so  that  they  shall  not 
diminish  the  least  hair  of  your  head  without  his  will,  unto 
which  submit  yourself,  and  rejoice  ;  for  the  Lord  knoweth 
how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of  temptation,  and  how  to  re- 
serve the  unjust,  unto  the  day  of  judgment  to  be  punished; 
and  therefore  cast  all  your  care  on  him,  for  he  careth  for 
you  ;  and  in  that  you  suffer  as  a  christian  man,  be  not  a- 
shamed,  but  rather  glorify  God  on  that  behalf,  looking  up- 
on Christ  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith,  who,  for  the 
joy  that  was  set  before  him,  abode  the  cross  and  despised 
the  shame ;  nevertheless,  though  we  suffer  wrong,  after 
the  example  of  our  master  Christ,  yet  we  are  not  bound  to 
suffer  the  wrong  cause  ;  for  Christ  himself  suffered  it  not, 
but  reproved  him  that  smote  him  \vrongfully,  ;  therefore, 
according  both  to  God  and  man's  law,  you  are  not  bound 
to  make  answer  to  any  cause,  till  your  accusers  come  be- 
fore you,  which,  if  you  require,  and  thereon  do  stick,  the 
false  brethren  shall  be  known,  to  the  great  comfort  of  those 
who  now  stand  in  doubt  whom  tl^^y  ^luj^t  trust :  and  also, 
it  shall  be  a-means,  that  they  shall  not  cVaftily  by  questions 
take  you  in  snares  ;  and,  Acts  xxv.  16,  it  is  written,  "  it  is 

«t  the  manner  of  theRomans,  to  deliver  any  man  to  die, 
Fore  he  which  is  accused  have  the  accusers  face  to  face, 
and  have  license  to  answer  for  himself,  concerning  the 
crime  laid  againgst  him."  And  also  Christ  said,  ''  that  in 
the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses,  all  things  shall  stand  ;" 
wherefore,  seeing  that  in  accusations  such  witnesses  should 
be,  you  may  with  a  good  conscience  require  it ;  and  tlius, 
the  God  of  grace,  settle,  strengthen,  and  establish  you,  tl^it 
to  him  may  be  glory  and  praise  for  ever." 

William  Tracy,  of  Taddington,  in  the  county  of  Glouce- 
ster, in  his  will,  amongst  other  things,  touching  the  bury- 
ing of  hisbod}^  asserted  that  it  availed  him  not  what  was 
done  thereto  when  he  was  dead  '*  for,"  said  he,  "  funeral 
pomps  are  rather  for  the  solace  of  them  that  live,  than 
for  the  wealth  and  comfort  of  them  that  are  dead." 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS*  185 

This  will  being  brought  by  his  son,  his  executor,  to 
the  bishop  of  Canterbury  to  be  proved,  the  bishop  shew- 
ed it  to  the  convocation,  which  ordered,  that  a  commis- 
sion should  be  sent  to  doctor  Parker,  chancellor  of  the 
Diocess  of  Worcester,  to  take  up  Tracy's  dead  body, 
and  to  burn  him  as  a  heretic,  for  making  such  a  will ; 
which,  accordingly  was  executed,  notwithstanding  he  had 
been  biuicd  almost  two  vears. 

About  this  time,  the  house  of  commons,  assembled  in 
parliament,  put  up  a  supplication,  by  way  of  complaint 
to  the  king,  against  the  clergy.  This  complaint,  the  king, 
at  first,  took  but  litde  notice  of;  but  afterwards  coming 
to  have  a  clear  understanding  of  the  abuses  and  enormi* 
ties  of  the  clergy,  especially  of  the  corrupt  authority  of 
the  See  of  Rome,  he  provided  certain  acts  against  the 
same,  and  wholly  excluded  the  pope's  authority  out  of 
his  realm  ;  but  thinking  tlie  work  not  sufficiently  done> 
as  long  as  abbeys  and  priories  kept  their  stations,  which 
were,  as  it  were,  his  fortresses  and  pillars,  there  were  not 
long  after  means  found  to  have  them  suppressed  ;  for 
aspersions  being  laid  upon  them  of  adulteries  and  mur* 
ders,  they,  by  act  of  parliament,  or  at  least  near  four  hun- 
dred of  them,  were  supprest,  and  all  their  lands  and  goods 
conferred  upon  the  king,  and  afterwards  all  the  rest  ; 
the  colleges,  chanteries,  and  hospitals.  The  same 
parliament  also  enacted,  that  bishops  should  pay  no  more 
annals  or  money  for  their  bulls  to  the  pope  ;  and  that  no 
person  should  appeal  for  any  cause  out  of  the  realm,  m 
the  court  of  Rome  :  and  an  act  was  made,  that  the  king 
should  be  the  supreme  head  of  the  church  of  England, 
&c. 

Although  the  pope's  power  and  authority  in  England 
were  abrogated  by  act  of  parliament,  as  before  mention- 
ed,  yet  the  bishops  went  on  persecuting  such  as  they 
accounted  sectaries  and  heretics.  But,  before  ^  give  an 
account  of  such  as  further  suffered  in  England  for  relig- 
ion, it  falls  in  order  to  give  an  account  of  the  sufFerings 
of  William  Tindal,  beyond  sea. 

This  William  Tindal  was  born  near  Wales,  being 
SI  man  zealous  for  reformation  and  religion,  and  consid- 

2   T^ 


186  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

ering,  that  if  the  scripture  were  translated  into  common 
language,  it  might  conduce  much  to  the  propagation 
thereof;  and  finding  his  purpose  could  not  be  well  effect- 
ed in  England,  by  reason  of  the  strictness  of  the  bishops 
and  chancellor,  he  travelled  into  Germany  ;  and  there 
he  first  translated  the  New  Testament,  and  then  the  Old  ; 
and  wrote  several  other  books  against  the  irreligious  prac- 
tices of  the  prelates,  which  books  being  published  and 
sent  over  into  England,  opened  a  door  of  light  to  the 
whole  English  nation,  which  before  was  many  years  shut 
up  in  darkness. 

But  though  the  spreading  of  these  books  wrought 
much  good  to  the  upright,  and  such  as  had  in  any  meas- 
ure a  desire  to  advance  the  truth,  yet  the  envious  and 
persecuting  spirit  of  the  bishops  was  also  much  stirred  up 
thereby,  seeking  by  all  means  how  to  stop  them  from 
being  spread,  lest  their  hypocrisy  and  works  of  darkness 
should  be  discerned.  Wherefore,  they  mad^  a  great  stir 
and  search,  as  Herod  did  at  the  birth  of  Christ,  and 
sought  by  what  means  they  might  hinder  this  Tindal 
from  travelling,  and  from  printing  and  publishing  the 
said  books.  And  they  set  persons  to  search  and  examine 
how  he  was  situated  at  Antwerp.  And  when  the  bish- 
ops and  chancellor  in  England,  understood  how  things 
^  were,  they  sent  over  one  Henry  Philips  to  betray  him  in- 
to the  hands  of  the  emperor's  procurator-general,  at  Brus- 
sels. The  said  procurator  through  the  treachery  of  Phil- 
IH^s,  seized  upon  all  Tindal's  books,  and  apprehended 
him,  and  sent  him  prisoner  to  Filford  castle,  eighteen 
English  miles  from  Antwerp.  Being  brought  to  liis  trial, 
they  oftered  him  counsel  to  plead  for  him,  but  he  refused, 
saying,  ''  he  would  answer  for  himself."  After  much 
reasoning  and  dispute,  he  was  condemned  by  virtue  of 
the  emperor's  decree,  made  in  the  assembly  at  Aus- 
brough  ;  and  u]}on  the  same,  was  brought  to  the  place  of 
execution  at  Filford,  Anno  1536  ;  where,  being  tied 
to  the  stake,  he  cried  with  a  fervent  zeal,  and  a  loud  voice, 
*'  Lord,  open  the  king  of  England's  eyes  ;"  and  so  was 
burnt  to  death. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  187 

Whea  the  king  had  taken  the  title  of  supremacy  from 
the  bishop  of  Rome,  and  stated  the  same  to  himself,  he 
perceived  by  the  wisdom  and  advice  of  Thomas  Crom- 
well, one  of  his  privy  council,  that  the  corrupt  state  of  the 
ehurch  had  need  of  reformation  in  many  thijigs. 

This  Cromwell  was,  through  the  goodness  of  God,  rais- 
ed up  to  be  a  friend  and  favourer  to  those  that  professed 
the  gospel.  Though  but  a  smith's  son,  born  at  Putney, 
for  the  pregnancy  of  his  wit,  he  was  first  entertained  by 
cardinal  Woolsey,  and  by  him  employed  in  many  great 
aftliirs.  The  cardinal  falling,  the  king  took  him  into  his 
service,  and  finding  his  great  abilities,  advanced  him  for 
his  worth  to  places  of  great  honour  and  trust :  and  through 
his  persuasions,  several  injunctions  were  put  out  by  the 
king  for  reformation  in  religion  ;  and  he  was  the  great 
instrument  in  overthrowing  abbeys,  monasteries,  and  fri- 
aries, which  were  a  little  before,  by  act  of  parliament  giv- 
en into  the  king's  hands.  Whereupon,  not  only  their 
houses  were  razed,  but  their  possessions  were  divided 
amongst  the  nobility,  insomuch  that  all  friars,  monks, 
canons,  nuns,  and  other  such  sects,  were  so  rooted  out 
ofithe  land,  that  there  seemed  to  be  no  room  left  for  them 
to  grow  any  more. 

As  this  Cromwell  w^as  raised  up  for  good,  and  being 
so  greatly  in  favour  with  the  king,  he  used  all  means  he 
could  to  persuade  him  to  reform  the  errors  in  the  church; 
but  satan  raised  up  his  instrument,  Stephen  Gardneiv 
bishop  of  Winchester,  who  used  all  the  wiles  and  subtW 
means  he  could,  to  persuade  the  king  against  the  same, 
casting  upon  the  professors  of  truth,  the  names  of  here- 
tics, sectaries,  anabaptists,  and  sacramentaries  ;  and  so 
far  prevailed  with  the  king,  that  by  his  authority, 
certain  injunctions  w^ere  published,  prohibiting  the  pub- 
lishing of  any  books  in  English,  WTitten  by  the  sectaries 
and  sacramentaries,  under  pain  of  the  forfeiture  of  all 
their  goods  and  chattels,  and  their  bodies  to  be  mipris- 
oned  during  the  king's  pleasure.  And  further,  Gardner 
instigated  the  king,  not  only  against  the  queen  (who  was  a 
favourer  of  religion-  and  reformation)  but  also  against 
Cromwell,  who,  no  doubt,  had  brought  true  religion,  ac- 


<kf 


188  TERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

cording  to  his  understanding,  to  greater  perfection,  had 
not  this  Gardner  and  other  malignant  opposers  thereof, 
set  themselves  against  it,  to  hinder  the  prosperity  thereof. 
But  now,  through  the  said  Gardner's  evil  advice,  the 
king,  who  before  had  raised  Cromwell  for  his  worth  and 
integrity,  for  his  pleasure  forsook  him,  and  suffered  him 
to  be  beheaded.  After  his  death,  religion  and  the  refor- 
mation more  and  more  decayed  ;  whereby,  the  reader 
may  see  how  variable  the  state  of  things  stood  in  refer-- 
ence  to  religion  at  this  time  ;  and  with  what  difficulty  any 
thing  of  light  and  truth  came  forth,  and  how  often  things 
changed,  as  the  king  was  ruled  and  inclined;  sometimes  it 
went  a  little  forward,  and  then  backward  again,  accord- 
ing as  the  persons  prevailed  that  were  about  the  king. 

The  king,  influenced  by  Gardner's  suggestions,  began 
to  decline  shewing  any  favour  to  the  reformation  in  re- 
ligion, concluding  that  it  was  most  for  his  safety,  both  at 
home  and  abroad ;  having  so  much  displeased  the 
pope,  and  other  popish  princes,  in  what  he  had  already 
done.  And,  though  he  had  rejected  the  pope's  authori- 
ty, he  would  declare  himself  nevertheless  to  be  a  good 
catholic,  son  of  the  mother  church,  and  a  vvithstander  of 
new  heresies  ;  and  then  calling  a  new  parliament,  and  a 
convention  of  prelates,  tliey  agreed  to  six  articles  concern- 
ing religion,  which  were  afterwards  ■  commonly  called,  a 
whip  with  six  strings.     It  was  pretended  to  be  done  for 

«e  unity  of  the  church,  but  what  unity  followed,  the 
oaning  hearts  of  many  that  suffered  by  the  same,  both 
in  this  king's  time  and  in  queen  Mary's,    declare. 

The  six  articles,  condemning  all  to  be  burnt  as  here- 
tics that  should  hold  them,  were  these  : 

First,  I'hat  the  body  of  Christ  was  not  really  present, 
in  the  sacrament  after  the  consecration. 

Secondly,  That  the  sacrament  might  not  truly  be  ad- 
ministered under  one  kind. 

Thirdly,  Iliat  priests  who  entered  into  holy  orders, 
might  marry. 

Fourthly,  That  vows  of  chastity  entered  into,  upon 
mature  deliberation,  were  not  to  be  kept. 

Fifthly,  That  private  masses  were  not  to  be  used. 


^ 


PERSECUTED     BY    THE    PAPISTS.  189 

ixthly,   That  Aiiricalar  confession  was  not  to  be  used 
in  the  church. 

Before  these  articles  were  published,  bishop  Gardner, 
having  obtained  his  desire  with  the  king,  he  and  the  rest 
of  tie  prelates  began  again  to  persecute  the  protestants  ; 
and  the  first  they  stretched  forth  their  hands  against ,  was 
John  Lambert  of  Norfolk,  one  zealous  for  the  spreading 
of  tb.e  truth,  according  to  the  manifestation  of  it  then 
l^rokcn  forth  ;  and  to  that  end,  he  was  conversant  with 
I'indal  and  Frith  at  Antwerp,  until,  by  the  instigation  of 
Sir  Thomas  INioore,  he  was  apprehended  and  brought  to 
London,  where  he  was  first  brought  to  examination  at 
Lambeth,  and  then  at  the  bisho])'s  house  at  Oxford,  be- 
fore Warham  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and'  others. 
Forty  five  articles  were  objected  against  liim,  to  all  wliich 
he  ans\vered  in  writing  very  fully  and  wisely,  both  ac- 
cording to  the  scriptures  and  reason.  The  articles,  and 
his  answers  may  be  read  at  large  in  Fox's  Acts  and  Mon- 
uments. 

The  bishop  of  Canterbury  shortly  after  died,  whereby 
Lambert  for  that  time,  was  delivered  out  of  prison  ;  but 
coming  to  London,  it  was  not  long  before  he  fell  into 
trouble  again  ;  for  having  a  private  conference  with  one 
doctor  Tayler,  what  passed  between  them  in  their  dis- 
l)ute  in  private,  grew  at  last  to  be  a  public  and  common 
talk,  which  coming  to  the  archbishop's  ears,  he  sent  for 
Lambert,  and  forced  him  to  defend  his  cause  openly.  Ihm 
in  that  disputation,  Lambert  appealed  to  the  king  from" 
the  bishops. 

Upon  this  appeal,  bishop  Gardner  went  to  the  king, 
and  privately  insinuated  to  him,  that  now  he  had  an  op- 
portunity, to  quiet  the  minds  of  the  people,  who  were  of- 
fended with  him,  for  abolishing  the  bishop  of  Rome's  au- 
thority, and  for  subverting  the  monasteries  and  abbeys, 
&c.  and  that  he  might  now  remedy  these  troubles,  if  he 
would  manifesdy  appear  in  this  matter  against  Lambert, 
and  shew  himself  stoutly  to  resist  the  heretics.  The 
king  immediately  received  this  wicked  counsel  of  the 
bishop,  and  forthwith  sent  out  a  general  commission, 
commanding  all  the   bishops  and  nobles  of  the  land,   to 


190  PERSECUTED    BY     THE    PAPISTS. 

come  with  speed  to  London,  to  assist  him  against  the 
heretics.  These  preparations  being  made,  a  day  was 
set,  upon  which  Lambert  should  appear  before  the  king, 
and  the  rest  assembled  with  him,  to  be  tried  and  judged. 

The  day  being  come,  the  king  ascended  his  throne, 
clothed  in  white.  He  looked  upon  the  prisoner  with  a 
stern  countenance,  as  if  his  mind  were  full  of  indigna- 
tion ;  and  then  he  called  forth  the  bishop  of  Chichester, 
and  commanded  him  to  declare  to  the  people  the  caus- 
es of  their  being  assembled.  He  informed  them,  "  that 
the  king  would  have  none  to  conceive,  that  whereas  the 
authority  and  name  of  the  bishop  of  Rome  being  utterly 
abolished,  he  would  also  extinguish  all  religion,  or  give 
liberty  to  heretics,  to  trouble  die  churches  of  England 
without  punishment."  The  chief  thing  that  the  king 
pressed  Lambert  to  declare,  was,  what  opinion  he  held 
touching  the  sacrament  of  the  altar.  To  which,  he  an- 
swered fully ;  and  the  dispute  held,  chiefly  concerning 
that  point,  for  some  hours,  until  the  king  and  bishops, 
enraged  against  him,  forced  him  to  silence  at  last. 

The  king,  being  minded  to  end  the  dispute,  said  to 
Lambert,  "  what  say  est  thou,  after  all  these  labours  and 
reasons  of  these  learned  men  ?  Art  thou  yet  satisfied  ? 
Wilt  thou  live  or  die  ?  Thou  hast  yet  free  choice." 
Lambert  answered,  "  I  yield  and  submit  myself  wholly 
unto  the  will  of  your  majesty."  Then  said  the  king, 
u"  commit  thyself  unto  the  hands  of  God  ;  and  not  unto 
*mine."  Lambert  said,  ^'  I  commend  my  soul  into  the 
liands  of  God,  but  my  body  I  wholly  yield  and  submit 
unto  your  clemency."  Then  said  the  king,  *'  if  you  do 
commit  yourself  unto  my  judgment,  you  must  die  ;  for 
I  will  not  be  a  patron  to  heretics."  So  he  caused  the 
sentence  of  death  to  be  read  against  him.  Shortly  after, 
he  was  had  to  Smithfield,  and  there  burnt.  Li  the  midst 
of  the  flames,  he  cried  unto  the  people  in  these  words, 
**  none  but  Christ,  none  but  Christ ;"  and  so  ended  his 
life. 

The  aforesaid  six  articles  being  consented  unto,  and 
concluded  by  the  king  and  parliament,  the  bishops  caus- 
ed further  to  be  enacted,    ^'  that  whosoever  denied  tran- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  191 

substantiation,  or  whosoever  should  be  aiders,  comfort- 
ers, counsellors,  consentors,  and  abb'ettors  therein,  should 
be  adjudged  heretics  ;  that  every  such  oftender  should 
have  and  suffer  judgment,  execution,  and  pain  of  death, 
byway  ©f  burning,  without  any  abjuration,  benefit  of  the 
clergy,  or  sanctuary  ;  and  should  forfeit  to  the  king  all 
their  land  and  tenements,  goods  and  cliattels,  as  in  cases 
of  high  treason.  And  all  such  as  did  preach,  teach,  up- 
hold, maintain,  or  defend  any  thing  contrary  to  the  five 
last  articles,  should  be  adjudged  as  felons,  ancjjose  both 
life  and  goods,  as  in  the  case  of  felony. 
r  When  these  articles  were  in  debate  in  the  parliament- 
house,  doctor  Cranmer,  in  favour  of  the  professors  of  the 
truth,  earnestly  disputed  in  defence  of  the  truth  against 
them  ;  but  notwithstanding  all  his  opposition,  the  act  was 
passed. 

By  reason  of  these  six  articles,  a  great  number  were 
apprehended  in  London  and  other  places,  so  that  all  the 
prisons  in  London  were  insufficient  to  hold  them  ;  and 
many  were  imprisoned  in  Iialls. 

Amongst  them,  was  one  John  Porter,  of  London,  who, 
for  reading  to  the  people  in  a  bible,  ^vas  sent  for  by  Bon- 
ner, and  sharply  reproved.  Porter  answered,  '*  he  trust- 
ed he  had  no  way  offended  contrary  to  the  law  thereby." 
Bonner  charged  him  with  making  expositions  upon  the 
text,  and  with  gathering  multitudes  about  him.  ThisPor- 
ter  denied.  Yet  Bonner  sent  him  to  Newgate,  where  he 
was  miserably  loaded  with  irons,  both  hands  and  legs, 
with  a  great  collar  of  iron  about  his  neck,  whereby  he 
was  fastened  to  tlie  wall  in  the  dungeon.  After  a  while, 
he  sent  for  a  kinsman  of  his,  through  whose  influence,  by 
bribing  the  keeper,  he  was  put  amongst  thievesand  mur- 
derers ;  but  Porter  hearing  and  seeing  their  wickedness, 
exhorted  them  to  amendment  of  life,  giving  them  good 
instructions  ;  for  this,  he  was  complained  of,  and  carried 
down  into  the  lowest  dungeon;  where  he  was  so  cruelly 
pressed  with  bolts  and  irons,  that  within  a  few  days  after, 
he  was  found  dead. 

In  the  year  1544,  one  Robert  Test  wood,  living  at 
Windsor,  being  a  favourer  of  the  LaUicr^ias,  and  seeing 


192  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

people  licking  and  kissing  a  white  alabaster  image,  that 
stood  behind  the  high  altar  ;  his  zeal  was  so  stirred,  that 
with  a  key,  that  he  had  in  his  hand,  he  struck  off  the  im- 
age's nose,  saying,  "  see,  good  people,  what  it  is  :  it 
cannot  help  itself ;  how  then  would  you  have  it  help 
you  ?"  The  noise  thereof  being  spread  abroad,  one  Sy- 
monds,  a  lawyer,  took  up  the  nose  and  said,  that  one  day , 
it  should  be  a  dear  nose  to  Testwood. 

This  act  so  offended  the  clergy,  that  they  said,  "  he 
is  an  heretic,  and  will  roast  a  faggot  one  day  for  this 
geer."  But,  notwithstanding  their  threats,  he  lived 
in  quiet  till  the  death  of  the  lord  Cromwell,  and  till 
Winchester  had  insinuated  into  the  affections  of  the 
king,  and  wholly  ruled  ;  at  which  time,  Testwood,  be- 
ing sick  in  bed,  was  fetched  out,  and  cast  into  prison , 
together  with  one  Anthony  Person,  John  Marbeck,  and 
Henry  Filmer.  After  a  while,  they  w^ere  all  brought 
forth  to  judgment,  before  Dr.  Capon,  bishop  of  Salis- 
bury, and  others.  The  substance  of  Testwood' s  in- 
dictment was,  that,  when  the  priest  lifted  up  the  sacra- 
ment,  he  said,  "  what,  wilt  thou  lift  it  up  so  high  ? 
what,  yet  higher  ?  take  heed  that  thou  let  it  not  fall.^' 
As  also,  that,  at  such  times,  when  the  sacrament  was 
lifted  up,  he  used  to  look  dowii  on  his  book,  or  another 
way,  that  he  might  not  see  the  sacrament ;  whereupon, 
he  said,  "  \vhereon  did  he  look,  that  marked  me  so 
well  ?"  Quoth  the  king's  attorney,  '*'  he  could  not  be 
better  occupied,  than  to  mark  such  heretics."  The 
prisoners  being  condemned,  they  spent  the  greatest 
part  of  the  night  preceding  their  execution,  in  praying 
that  the  Lord  would  strengthen  them,  and  enable 
them,  with  steadfast  faith  and  power,  to  go  through 
their  exercise. 

About  this  time,  there  rose  a  great  persecution  in 
Calais,  in  France,  which  was  then  under  England's 
power.  There  were,  at  one  time,  twelve  persons  impris- 
oned for  their  religion ;  but  lord  Cromwell  hearing 
of  it,  wTote  immediately  to  the  commissioners  in  Calais, 
in  the  king's  name,  requiring,  that  the  heretics,  with 
their  accusers,  should  be  sent  over  into  England.  Forth- 


I»ERSECUTED    jBY    THE    ?A?ISTS.  193 

with  the  commissioners,  loading  them  with  chains,  sent 
them  over.  As  soon  as  Cromwell  heard  that  they  had 
arrived,  he  sent  for  them  to  his  house ;  and  smiling 
upon  them,  said,  **  go  your  ways  to  the  fleet,  and  sub- 
mit yourselves  prisoners  there  ;  and  be  of  good  cheer ; 
for  if  God  give  me  life,  you  shall  shortly  go  home  with 
as  mrch  honesty,  as  you  came  with  shame."  But  short- 
ly after  this,  Cromwell  was  beheaded ;  so  that  the  poor 
men  had  no  hopes,  but  in  the  providence  of  their  heav- 
enly Father,  who  comforted  them  in  their  deep  troubles, 
that  as  their  afflictions  abounded,  their  joys  and  consola- 
tions abounded  much  more ;  for  when  all  hope  was  past, 
lord  Audley,  chancellor  of  England,  sent  for  them,  and 
without  any  further  examination,  discharged  them  from 
their  imprisonment. 

In  the  year  1541,  the  king  sent  out  a  commission,  for 
apprehending  such  as  offended  against  the  six  articles,  and 
when  the  commissioners  sat,  at  Mercer's  Chapel,  being 
such  as  were  chosen  for  the  purpose,  they  inquired  not 
only  for  such  as  offended  against  the  six  articles,  but  for 
such  as  came  seldom  to  church,  and  received  not  the 
holy  bread  and  water;  so  that  they  indicted  above  five  hun- 
dred persons,  most  of  whom  would  either  have  died  in 
prison,  or  been  burnt  in  Srajkhfield,  but  the  king,  be- 
ing informed,  by  lord  Aimley,  that  they  were  in- 
dicted for  malice,  granted  them  his  pardon. 

About  the  same  time,  one  Richard  Meekins,  a  boy 
of  fifteen  years  old,  was  accused  for  speaking  some 
words  against  the  sacrament  of  the  altar;  and  when  the 
first  jury  would  not  find  the  indictment  against  him, 
they  were  severely  censured  by  the  bishop  of  London ; 
and  another  jury  was  empannelled  that  found  it,  and 
the  poor  boy  was  burnt  in  Smithfield. 

On  account  of  the  diligent  preaching  of  Adam  Damp- 
lip,  and  one  William  Smith,  at  Calais,  the  devil  raised 
up  his  instruments  to  persecute  them,  and  others,  their 
hearers  ;  and  letters  were  written  over  to  the  council  in 
England,  suggesting,  that  by  the  means  of  Damplip, 
they  were  infected  with  horrible  heresies  and  errors. 
The   persons    accused    were   Thomas    Brooke,    Ralph 

2  c 


194  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Hare,  James  Cock,  and  James  Barber,  who  were  sent 
for  over,  and  committed  to  prison  at  Westminster.  Af- 
terwards, they  were  brought  before  the  bishops.  Griev- 
ous letters  were  v/ritten  against  them  from  Calais  by 
their  adversaries,  so  that  if  God  had  not  preserved 
them,  they  had  all  certainly  perished. 

One  of  these,  viz.  Ralph  Hare,  though  so  unlearn- 
ed, that  he  could  scarcely  read,  yet  was  very  zealous ;  and 
so  holy  and  inoffensive  in  his  life,  that  none  of  his  adver- 
saries could  accuse  him  of  evil.  He  was  charged  with 
speaking  against  auricular  confession,  holy  bread,  and 
holy  water  ;  as  also,  that  he  would  not  swear,  nor  use  a- 
ny  pastime,  but  used  to  be  in  a  corner  by  himself,  looking 
on  his  book,  when  others  were  at  liberty.  Thus  being 
charged,  he  said  to  the  commissioners,  "  I  take  God  to 
witness,  I  would  not  willingly  maintain  any  error  or 
heresy  ;  wherefore,  I  beseech  you,  let  my  accusers  come 
before  me  face  to  face  ;  for  if  they  charge  me  with  what 
I  have  spoken,  I  will  not  deny  it ;  and,  if  it  be  trudi,  I 
will  stand  to  it,  if  an  error,  I  will  with  all  my  heart  for- 
sake it  ;  I  mean,  if  it  be  against  God's  holy  word  ;  for  the 
Lord  is  my  witness,  I  daily  pray  to  God  that  I  may  know 
the  truth,  and  shun  errors  ;  and  I  hope  God  will  pre- 
serve me  from  them."        M^ 

The  bishop  of  WincheKr  said,  ''  I  perceive  now 
thou  art  a  naughty  fellow."  ''  Alas  ! "  said  Hare,  ''  what 
evil  have  I  spoken  ?"  the  bishop  replied,  "  sir,  you  said, 
the  Lord,  the  Lord  ;  and  that  is  symbolum  hereticor- 
um."  What  is  that,  said  Hare,"  *'  thou  art  naught,  thou 
art  naught,"  said  the  bishop  ;  and  further  said,  "  I  pity 
thee,  for  I  think  thou  art  a  good  simple  man,  and  mean- 
est well  enough,  if  thou  hadst  not  had  bad  school- mas- 
ters." And  then  Thomas  Brooke  was  called  for,  who 
was  charged  with  sedition  ;  and  that  he  had  contributed 
towards  maintaining  Adam  Damplip,  and  that  he  had 
said,  that  what  the  priest  held  up  at  mass  was  not  the 
body  of  Christ.  Brooke  denied  the  charge  ;  and  after  some 
debate,  l\e  was  for  that  time  dismissed. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  195 

The  suffering  and  martyrdom  of  Anne  Asktw* 

Anne  Askew  was  apprehended  for  her  religion, 
and  examined  before  one  Christopher  Dare  an  Inquisi- 
tor, who  asked  her,  if  she  did  not  beHeve  the  sacrament 
of  the  altar  to  be  the  real  body  of  Christ  ?  to  this  ques- 
tion, she  refused  to  answer.  Then  he  told  her,  that  she 
was  accused  for  reading,  that  God  dwelt  not  in  temples 
made  with  hands ;  thereupon  she  shewed  him  the  7th  and 
17th  chapters  of  the  Acts  for  it.  Then  he  asked  her,  how 
sheundcrsood  those  texts?  she  answered,  *'  thatshe  would 
not  cast  jearls  before  swine  :*"  then  he  charged  her  with 
saying,  that  she  had  rather  read  five  lines  inher  bible,  than 
hear  a  mass.  She  said,  the  reason  was,  because  one  did 
greatly  edify  her,  and  the  other  did  not.  And  after  other 
questions  asked  her,  he  had  her  before  the  mayor  of 
London  ;  the  rrwyor,  after  some  discourse  with  her,  or- 
dered her  to  be  had  to  prison.  She  asked,  if  sureties 
would  not  serve  ?  he  said,  he  would  take  none  :  after 
sometime,  she  was  released  from  that* imprisonment,  but 
not  long  after,  she  was  apprehended  again,  andcarried  be- 
fore the  king's  council,  where  the  chancellor  asked  her 
her  opinion  about  the  sacrament.  She  said,  that  she  be- 
lieved, that  so  oft  as  she  received  the  bread  in  remem- 
brance of  Christ's  death, '-ishe  received  therewith  the 
fruits  of  his  most  glorious  passion.  The  bishop  of  Win- 
chester bid  her  answer  directly.  She  answered,  she  would 
not  sing  the  Lord's  song  in  a  strange  land.  The  bishop  told 
her,  she  was  a  pariat ;  to  which  she  replied,  that  she  was 
willingnotonly  to  receive  rebukes  from  him,  but  whatsoev- 
er should  follow  besides,  and  that  gladly.  After  much 
other  debate,  she  was  imprisoned  until  the  next  day  ;  at 
which  time,  they  asked  her  again,  what  she  said  to  the  sa- 
crament ?  she  answered,  that  she  had  said  what  she  could 
say. 

Then  the  bishop  of  Winchester  said,  he  would  speak 
with  her  familiarly.  She  said,  so  did  Judas  when  he  un- 
friendlily  betrayed  Christ.  Then  the  bi  shop  desired  to 
speak  with  her  alone  :  but  she  refused.  He  asked  her, 
why  ?  she  said,  that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witness- 


196  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPIST^. 

es  every  matter  should  stand,   after  Christ  and  PaiiPs 
doctrine. 

Then  the  chancellor  began  to  examine  her  again  of  the 
sacrament.  She  asked  him,  how  long  he  would  halt  on 
both  sides  ?  He  would  know,  where  she  found  that  ? 
she  said,  in  the  scripture.  Then  he  went  his  way.  And 
the  bishop  told  her,  she  would  be  burnt ;  she  answered, 
that  she  had  searched  all  the  scriptures,  and  could  never 
find  that  either  Christ,  or  his  apostles,  put  any  creature  to 
death  ;  and  told  them,  God  would  laugh  their  threaten- 
ings  to  scorn. 

After  much  other  arguing,  wherein  she  answered  them 
wisely  and  holily,  they  <Jismissed  her.  A  few  days  after, 
she  was  taken  very  sick,  and  was  likely  to  die  ;  and  in 
that  extremity  of  her  sickness,  they  sent  her  to  Newgate. 

After  a  time,  she  was  brought  to  her  trial  at  Guild-= 
hall,  where  she  was  required  to  recant,  or  else  she  should 
be  condemned  by  the  law  for  an  heretic.  She  answered, 
she  was  no  heretic,  neither  deserved  death  by  the  law  of 
God.  Then  they  asked,  if  she  would  deny  the  sacrament 
to  be  Christ's  body  and  blood  ?  she  said,  "  yea."  They 
wished  her,  to  confess  herself  to  a  priest:  at  which,  she 
smiled,  and  said,  she  would  confess  her  faults  to  God, 
for    she   was   sure  he    would  hear    her    with  favour. 

Then  they  would  know  of  her,  whether  the  bread  in 
the  box  were  God  or  not :  she  said,  God  is  a  spirit,  and 
will  be  worshipped  in  spirit  and  truth."  After  she  was 
condemned,  she  wrote  a  few  lines  to  the  king  to  this 
effect. 

**  I  Anne  Askew,  of  good  memory,  although  God 
hath  given  me  the  bread  of  adversity,  and  the  water 
of  trouble ;  yet  be  it  known,  that  forasmuch  as  I  am  by 
the  law  condemned  as  an  evil-doer,  (here  I  take  heaven 
and  earth  to  record,)  that  I  shall  die  in  my  innocency ; 
and  as  I  said  at  first,  I  say  at  last,  I  utterly  abhor  and  de- 
test all  heresies.  And  concerning  the  supper  of  the  Lord, 
I  believe  so  much  as  Christ  hath  said  therein,  which  he 
confirmed  with  his  most  blessed  blood.  I  believe  so  much 
as  he  willed  me  to  follow,  for  I  will  not  forsake  the  com- 


PERSECUTED  BY  THE  PAPISTS.        197 

mandment  of  his  holy  lips,  but  look  what  God  hath  char- 
ged me  with  his  mouth,  that  have  I  shut  up  in  my  heart ; 
and  thus  briefly  I  end. 

Anne  Askew. 

Shortly  after,  she  was  sent  from  Newgate,  to  the  sign 
of  the  crown,  where,  she  said,  one  Rich,  and  the  bishop 
of  London,  used  all  their  power,  by  flattering  words,  to 
persuade  her  from  God  ;  but  they  prevailed  not  with  her. 
One  Nicholas  Shaxton  counselled  her  to  recant,  as  he 
had  done.  She  told  him,  it  had  been  good  for  him,  he 
had  never  been  born.  Then  Rich  sent  her  to  the  tower 
to  be  racked,  where,  first,  he  and  one  of  the  council  ex- 
amined  her,  telling  her,  that  the  king  was  informed,  that 
if  she  would,  she  could  name  a  great  number  of  her  sect. 
She  answered,  that  the  king  was  as  well  deceived  in  that, 
as  he  was  in  other  matters. 

The  manner  of  her  racking  was  thus  :  she  was  let 
down  into  a  dungeon,  where  the  lieutenant  of  the  tower 
commanded  the  gaoler  to  pinch  her  with  the  rack,  which 
being  done,  as  much  as  he  thought  sufficient,  he  went  a- 
bout  to  take  her  down;  but  Wrisley,  the  chancellor,  not 
contented  that  she  was  loosed  so  soon,  confessing  noth- 
ing, but  lying  still,  and  not  crying,  commanded  the  lieu- 
tenant to  strain  her  on  the  rack  again ;  and  because  he  re- 
fused to  do  it,  pleading  the  weakness  of  the  woman,  the 
chancellor  threatened  him  that  he  would  signify  his  dis- 
obedience  to  the  king.  Then  Rich  and  the  chancellor  took 
pains  to  rack  her  themselves,  till  she  was  nearly  dead, 
first  asking  her,  whether  she  was  with  child  ?  to  whom 
she  answered,  *'  you  shall  not  need  to  spare  for  that,  but 
do  your  wills  tipon  me;"  and  so  quietly  and  patiently, 
praying  unto  the  Lord,  she  abode  their  cruelty  till  her 
bones  and  joints  were  almost  plucked  asunder.  After 
she  was  loosed  from  the  rack,  she  swooned  ;  but  they 
recovered  her  again  ;  and  she  was  carried  away  in  a 
chair  to  a  house,  and  laid  in  a  bed,  with  weary  and  pain- 
ful bones.  The  chancellor  sent  her  word,  that  if  she 
would  leave  her  opinion,  she  should  want  for  nothing  ;  if 
she  would  not,  she  should  forthwith  be  sent  to  New  gate, 


198  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

and  so  be  burnt.  She  sent  him  word  again,  that  she  would 
rather  die  than  break  her  faith.  Before  her  death,  she 
composed  the  following  prayer. 

"  O,  Lord!  I  have  more  enemies  now,  than  there  be 
hairs  on  my  head  ;  yet,  Lord,  let  them  never  overcome 
me  with  vain  words  ;  but  fight  thou,  Lord,  in  my  stead; 
for  on  thee  cast  I  my  care.  With  all  the  spite  they  can 
imagine,  they  fall  upon  me,  which  am  thy  poor  creature  ; 
yet,  Lord,  let  me  not  set  by  them  which  are  against  me ; 
for  in  thee  is  my  whole  delight.  And,  Lord,  I  heartily 
desire  of  thee,  that  thou  wilt,  of  thy  most  merciful 
goodness,  forgive  them  that  violence  which  they  do,  and 
have  done  unto  me.  Open  also  thou  their  blind  hearts, 
that  they  may  hereafter  do  that  thing  in  thy  sight,  which 
is  only  acceptable  before  thee,  and  to  set  forth  thy  truth 
aright,  without  all  vain  fantasy  of  sinful  men.  So  be  it, 
O  Lord,  so  be  it." 

The  day  of  her  execution  being  appointed,  she  was 
brought  into  Smithfield  in  a  chair,  for  she  could  not  go 
on  her  feet,  by  reason  of  her  great  torments.  When 
she  was  brought  to  the  stake,  she  was  tied  by  the  mid- 
dle, with  a  chain  that  held  up  her  body ;  and  so  was  encom- 
passed with  the  flames  of  fire.  As  a  blessed  sacrifice 
unto  God,  she  resigned  up  her  life,  in  the  year  1546, 
leaving  behind  her  a  singular  example  of  christian  con- 
stancy, for  all  men  to  follow.  There  were,  at  the  same 
time,  three  others  burnt  with  her  in  Smithfield. 

After  the  death  of  this  woman,  the  popish  clergy  con- 
sulted together,  how  they  might  further  proceed  to  keep 
the  truth  under,  and  the  people  in  ignorance  ;  and  for 
that  end,  they  obtained  another  proclamation,  in  the 
king's  name,  for  abolishing  the  scriptures  in  English, 
and  all  other  English  books,  that  might  give  any  light 
to  the  people,  which  made  sore  work,  and  caused  perse- 
cution for  a  time  ;  but  it  was  not  long  it  continued, 
by  reason  of  the  king's  death,  Nvhich  took  place  shortly 
after. 

But,  before  there  be  a  full  conclusion  of  the  transac- 
tions, in  this  king's  reign,  it  is  necessary,  that  a  short 
account  be  given  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  Thomas  Crom- 


PERSECUTED     BY    THE     PAPISTS.  199 

well,  of  whom  mention  is  made  before,  he  being  a 
man  zealous  for  reformation  of  both  cluirch  and  com- 
monwealth. 

A  short  relation  of  the  life  and  death  of  Thomasy  lord 

Cro?nwelL 

He  was  born  at  Putney,  'his  father  being  a  Smith,  as 
is  before  related.  In  his  youthful  days,  it  is  said,  he 
had  little  regard  to  God  and  religion,  but  travelled  be- 
yond sea ;  and  for  a  time,  was  there  a  soldier.  At 
length,  getting  the  New  Testament  in  English,  and  oft- 
ten  reading  it,  he  began  to  be  touched,  and  awakened : 
and  coming  into  England  again,  cardinal  Woolsey  en  • 
tertained  him  in  his  service ;  where,  after  remaining 
some  years,  he  was  preferred  to  be  solicitor  to  the  cardi- 
nal. After  the  fall  of  cardinal  Woolsey,  he  was,  by  the 
master  of  the  rolls,  preferred  to  the  king,  who  was  then 
opposing  the  pope,  as  a  fit  person  to  be  employed  by 
him ;  and  being  brought  to  the  king,  at  his  garden  in 
Westminster,  he  informed  him,  that  his  authority  was 
abused  by  the  clergy  ;  who,  by  being  sworn  to  the  pope, 
had  run  themselves  into  a  premunire  ;  and  that  now  the 
king  had  an  opportunity  to  enrich  himself.  To  this,  the 
king  gave  ear,  and  liking  his  advice,  admitted  him  into 
his  service,  and  sent  him  to  the  convocation-house,  a- 
mongst  the  bishops,  where  he  made  a  speech  to  this 
effect :  "  that  inasmuch  as  they  had  sworn  to  the  pope, 
contrary  to  their  fealty  due  to  the  king,  they  had  forfeit- 
ed all  their  goods,  chattels,  lands,  and  possessions,  to  the 
king,  Sec."  This  amazed  the  bishops  at  lirst,  but  after 
a  little  a  pause,  they  began  to  shrink  ;  and  before  they 
could  be  quit  of  the  premunire,  by  act  of  parliament,  it 
cost  them,  to  the  king,  no  less  than  one  hundred  and 
eighteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty  pounds. 

Afterwards,  Cromwell  grew  greatly  in  favour  with 
the  king,  and  was  made  one  of  his  privy  council,  and 
master  of  the  rolls ;  and  afterwards  kniglit  of  tlie  garter, 
and  earl  of  Essex  ;  and  now  being  come  into  such  au- 
thority, and  seeing  the  superstition,  bliiKlness,  hypocri- 


200  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

sy,  and  idolatry  of  the  monks,  friars,  and  papists,  he, 
like  a  champion,  was  raised  up  to  root  them  out ;  which, 
while  the  king  favoured  him,  he  prosecuted  with  effect, 
as  is  before  related ;  but  when  the  popish  bishops  saw 
the  pope's  power  abolished  in  England,  they  never  gave 
over  using  their  utmost  endeavours,  and  politic  contriv- 
ances, till  they  had  accomplished  his  destruction. 

It  would  be  tedious  to  recite,  what  benefit,  this  Crom- 
well, by  his  prudence  and  zeal,  wrought  in  a  little  time 
for  the  public  good ;  what  good  orders  he  established ; 
what  wickedness  and  vices  he  suppressed  ;  what  corrup- 
tions he  reformed ;  what  abuses  he  brought  to  light ; 
and  the  popish  idolatry  and  images  he  suppressed  ;  one 
of  which  was  called  the  rood  of  Grace,  wherein  a  man 
stood  with  an  hundred  wires,  to  make  the  image  goggle 
its  eyes,  nod  its  head,  move  its  lip,  and  shake  its  jaws, 
according  to  the  value  of  the  gift  offered.  If  it  were  a 
small  piece  of  silver,  then  it  would  hang  a  frowning 
lip;  if  it  were  a  piece  of  gold,  then  would  its  jaws  go 
merrily.  Thus,  were  poor  people's  souls  seduced,  and 
and  their  pockets  picked,  by  these  idolatrous  forgers, 
until  Cromwell  caused  the  said  image  to  be  carried  pub- 
licly to  Paul's,  where  the  people  tore  it  to  pieces. 

He  was  a  man,  not  only  zealous  for  the  public  reform- 
ation, but  also  always  ready  to  help  private  persons,  that 
were  in  distress ;  and  though  it  is  common  amongst 
men,  that  are  raised  from  low  estate  to  great  place,  and 
outward  preferment,  to  forget  themselves,  and  what  they 
formerly  were,  and  the  persons  from  whom  they  receiv- 
ed benefits,  it  was  not  so  with  him. 

His  care  and  zeal,  for  settling  the  protestant  religion, 
brought  him  to  his  end  ;  for,  for  the  better  establishing 
thereof  he  eftected  a  marriage  between  the  king,  and  the 
lady  Anne  of  Cleve,  whose  sister  was  married  to  the 
duke  of  Saxony,  a  protestant  prince  ;  by  which  mar- 
riage, it  was  supposed,  there  w^ould  be  established  a  per- 
petual peace  and  amity,  between  that  kingdom  and  the 
protestant  princes  of  Germany,  which  would  much 
strengthen  the  protestant  party,  against  the  tyranny  and 
oppression  o£  the  pope  and  his  adherents.     But  present- 


PERSECUTED    BV    THE    PAPISTS.  201 

iy  after  the  marriage,  Stephen  Gardner,  who  had  crept 
into  favour  with  the  king,  (  as  is  before  related)  sugges- 
ted to  him  some  occasions  of  distaste  against  the  duke 
of  Saxony,  and  some  apprehensions  of  fear,  by  reason  of 
that  odium  which  he  had  drawn  upon  himself,  by  reject- 
ing the  pope,  and  demolishing  abbeys  and  monasteries, 
whereby  (as  he  told  him)  he  had  made  the  pope,  the  em- 
peror, the  king  of  France,  and  the  king  of  Scotland,  his 
enemies  ;  and  especially  his  own  subjects,  who  much  dis- 
liked the  innovations  in  religion  ;  and  that  the  only  way 
to  heal  all,  was  to  shew  himself  sharp  and  severe  against 
the  new  sectaries.  This  occasioned  the  king  to  with- 
draw his  favour  from  Cromwell ;  for,  being  one  day  in 
the  council- chamber,  he  was  suddenly  apprehended  and 
committed  to  the  tower  of  London;  at  the  hearing  where- 
of, many  good  men  were  much  troubled.  The  charge 
laid  against  him  was,  that  he  was  a  supporter  of  heretics, 
and  a  spreader  of  their  books  ;  and,  that  he  had  caused  to 
be  translated  into  English,  books  written  against  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar  ;  and,  that  he  had  spoken  words 
against  the  king.  But  whatever  he  was  accused  of,  he 
was  soon  after  condemned  in  the:  tower,  without  any  op- 
portunity to  answer,  and  was  beheaded.  His  death  the 
king  shortly  after  bewailed,  wishing  he  had  his  Crom- 
well alive  again.  So  that  it  appears,  it  was  more  the 
malice  of  his  adversary,  that  stirred  up  the  king  against 
him,  than  any  real  cause  given  or  acted  by  him,  that  might 
justly  occasion  his  death. 


2  c 


202  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Persecutions  in  Scotland, 


In  the  year  1634,  the  archbishop  of  St.  Andrews  cal- 
led before  him,  David  Stratton,  and  Norman  Gourley. 
The  first  of  these  having  a  fishing- boat  that  went  to  sea, 
the  bishop  of  Murray  demanded  tithe-fish  of  him  ;  to 
whom,  he  answered,  ''  that  if  they  would  have  tithe  of 
that  which  his  servants  caught  in  the  sea,  they  should 
take  it  in  the  place  where  it  was  caught."  And  so  he 
caused  his  servants  to  throw  the  tenth  fish  into  the  sea 
again.  All  this  while,  he  had  nothing  in  him  of  religion. 
But  when  he  was  summoned  to  answer  for  heresy,  it 
troubled  him  exceedingly,  and  then  he  began  to  frequent 
the  company  of  such  as  were  godly,  and  there  appeared  a 
wonderful  change  in  him  ;  so  that,  whereas,  before,  he 
despised  the  scriptures,  now  all  his  delight  was  in  hearing 
them  read  to  him  ;  and  he  became  an  earnest  exhorter  of 
all  men  to  peace  and  concord,  and  to  a  contempt  of  the 
world.  He  much  frequented  the  company  of  the  laird 
of  Dun  Arisken,  w^hom  God  in  those  days  had  marvel- 
lously illuminated.  And  hearing  that  text  read  (for  he 
could  not  read  himself,)  '*  he  that  denieth  me  before  men 
shall  be  denied  before  the  angels  of  God,"  he  fell 
upon  his  knees,  and  steadfastly  lifting  up  his  eyes 
and  hands,  he  at  length  burst  out  into  these  v/ords, 
*'  O  Lord  !  I  have  been  wicked,  and  justly  mayst  thou 
withdraw  thy  grace  from  me  ;  but,  Lord  !  for  thy  mer- 
cy's sake,  let  me  never  deny  thee  nor  thy  truth  for  fear 
of  death,  nor  any  corporal  pains."  Soon  after,  Norman 
and  he  were  brought  to  judgment,  to  holy- rood- house, 
the  king  himself  being  present,  and  many  means  were 
used  to  draw  Stratton  to  make  a  recantation  ;  but  he  per- 
severed in  his  constancy,  still  denying  that  he  had  offend- 
ed ;  and  so  they  were  both  condemned  to  the  fire  ; 
and  after  dinner,  they  were  both  first  hanged,  and  then 
burnt. 

Not  long  after  the  burning  of  these  two,  there  was  one 
Thomas  Forret,  a  Dean,  who  used  to  preach  every  first 


PERSECUTED    BY     THE     PAPISTS.  203 

day  to  his  parishioners  the  epistles  and  gospels.  This  was 
counted  a  great  novelty  in  those  times  ;  for  none  used  to 
preach  but  the  friars;  and,  therefore,  they  envying  him,  ac- 
cused him  to  the  bishop  of  Dunkelden,  for  a  heretic, 
and  one  that  read  the  mysteries  of  the  scripture  to  the  vul- 
gar people.  The  bishop,  instigated  by  the  complaints  of 
the  friars,  called  the  said  Thomas  Forret  before  him  ;  to 
whom  he  said,  ''  my  joy,  dean  Thomas,  I  love  you  well, 
and  therefore  I  must  give  you  counsel  how  to  govern  your- 
self." The  dean  thanked  him  ;  and  then  he  proceeded  : 
*'  my  joy,  dean  Thomas,  I  am  informed  that  you  preach 
the  episdes  and  gospels  every  Sunday  to  your  people  ;  and 
that  you  take  not  your  dues  from  them,  which  is  very 
prejudicial  to  the  church  men ;  and  therefore,^my  joy,  dean 
Thomas,  I  would  have  you  to  take  your  dues,  or  else  it  is 
too  much  to  preach  every  Sunday  ;  for,  by  so  doing, 
you  make  the  people  think,  that  we  should  do  so  also." 

Thomas  answered,  "  my  lord,  I  presume  none  of  my 
parishioners  complain  for  my  not  taking  my  dues  ;  and 
whereas  you  say,  it  is  too  much  to  preach  tv^ry  sunday, 
I  think  it  is  too  little  ;  and  wish  that  your  lordship  would 
do  the  like." 

"  Nay,  nay,  dean  Tliomas,"  said  the  bishop,  "  let  that 
be,  for  we  are  not  ordained  to  preach  ;  and,  dean  Thomas, 
go  your  ways,  and  let  all  these  fancies  be  ;  for  if  you  persist 
therein,  you  will  repent,  when  it  is  too  late." 

"  I  trust,"  said  the  dean,  "  my  cause  is  good  and  just 
in  the  presence  of  God  ;  and  therefore,  I  care  not  what 
follows  thereupon  ;"  and  so  he  went  away,  but  shortly  af- 
ter, he  was  summoned  to  appear  before  the  cardinal,  by 
whom  he  was  condemned  and  burned  for  a  chief  heretic, 
and  teacher  of  heresy. 

But  notwithstanding  their  bloody  cruelty,  the  knowledge 
of  God  w  onderfully  increased  in  this  country,  partly  by 
reading,  and  partly  by  brotherly  conference,  which,  in  those 
dangerous  days,  were  much  used,  to  the  comfort  of  ma- 
ny, which  so  enraged  the  popish  party,  that  in  the  yeai* 
1538,  there  were  four  persons  burned  in  one  fire. 

The  year  after,  Jeremy  Russel,  and  Alexander  Kenedy 
were  apprehended,  and  brought  before  the  bishop.     Jerc- 


?04  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

my  was  a  man  of  a  meek  and  quiet  nature.  Alexander  was 
a  young  man,  about  eighteen  years  old,  who  at  first  was 
faint,  and  would  fain  have  recanted  ;  but  when  all  place 
of  repentcince  was  denied  him,  the  spirit  of  God  began  to 
refresh  him,  yea,  the  inward  comfort  began  to  break  forth, 
as  well  in  his  visage,  as  in  his  words  ;  and  he  cried  in  pray- 
er to  God,  *' oh  eternal  God  !  how  wonderful  are  thy  love 
and  mercy,  who  hast  made  me  to  feel  heavenly  comfort, 
who  takcst  from  me  that  ungodly  fear,  which  before  I 
was  oppressed  with.  Now  I  defy  death.  Do  with  me 
what  you  please,  I  praise  God  I  am  ready."  Then  they 
railed  upon  him  and  Jeremy,  who  also  said  unto  them, 
**  this  is  your  hour  and  power  of  darkness.  Now  sit  ye 
as  judges ;  and  we  stand  wrongfully  accused,  and  more 
wrongfully  to  be  condemned  ;  but  the  day  will  come  when 
our  innocency  will  appear,  and  ye  shall  see  your  own  blind- 
ness to  your  everlasting  confusion  :  go  forward,  and  ful- 
iil  the  measure  of  your  iniquity."  Shortly  after,  they 
were  condemned  to  die ;  and  as  they  went  to  execution, 
Jeremy  comforted  Alexander,  saying  to  him  :  "  brother, 
fear  not,  greater  is  he  that  is  in  us,  than  he  that  is  in  the 
world.  The  pain  that  we  are  to  suffer,  is  short,  and  shall 
be  light  ;  but  our  joy  and  consolation  shall  never  have 
end  :  let  us  therefore  strive  to  enter  into  our  master  and 
saviour's  joy,  by  the  same  straight  way,  which  he  hath  ta- 
ken before  us.  Death  cannot  hurt  us;  for  it  is  already  de- 
stroyed by  him,  for  whose  sake  we  now  suffer."  And 
thus,  they  constantly  continued  steadfast  in  the  flaming 
lire,  till  they  finished  their  course  by  death. 

In  the  year  1543,  George  Wiseheart,  a  man  of  a  cour- 
teous, modest,  and  temperate  behaviour,  fearing  God  and 
hating  covetousness,  very  charitable  and  moderate  in 
ius  apparel  and  diet ;  and,  for  his  innocence,  well  be- 
loved, was  accused  of  several  articles  by  the  bishops; 
and  afterwards  was  condemned  by  them  as  a  heretic  to 
be  burnt.  When  he  came  to  the  fire,  he  said,  *'  Father  of 
h€a\  en,  I  commend  my  spirit  into  thy  holy  hands  ;"  and 
then  turned  himself  to  the  people,  and  said  these  words  : 
"  I  beseech  you,  chriGtian  brethren  and  sisters,  that  you  be 
not  offended  in  the  vvord  of  God  for  the  afflictions  aaid  tor- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  205 

ments  which  you  see  ah'eady  prepared  for  me  ;  but  I  ex- 
hort you,  that  you  love  the  word  of  God,   and  suffer  pa- 
tiently,  and  with  a  comfortable  heart,  for  the  word's  sake, 
which  is  your  undoubted  salvation,  and  everlasting  com- 
fort. Moreover,  I  pray  you,  shew  my  brethren  and  sisters, 
which  have  heard  me  oft  before,  that  they  cease  not,  nor 
leave  off  the  word  of  God,  which  I  taught  unto  them,  af- 
ter  the  gi  ace  given  unto  me,  for  any  persecutions  or  trou- 
bles in  this  world,  whic'n  last  not ;  and  shew  unto  them, 
that  my  doctrine  was  no  old  wives'  fable,  after  the  consti- 
tution made  by  men  ;  and  if  I  had  taught  men's  doctrine, 
I  had  gotten  great  thanks  of  men,  but  for  the  word,  and  the 
true  gospel's  sake,  I  suffer  this  day  by  men,  not  sorrow- 
fully, but  with  a  glad  heart  and  mind  ;  for  this  cause,  1 
was  sent,  that  I  should  sufler  this  fire  for  Christ's  sake  ; 
this  grim  fire  I  fear  not,  and  so  I  pray  you  to  do,  if  that  any 
persecution  come  unto  you,  for  the  word's  sake  ;  and  fear 
not  them  that  kill  the  body,  and  afterwards  have  no  power 
to  kill  the  soul." 

Then  he  prayed  for  them  which  accused  him,  saying, 
^'  I  beseech  thee.  Father  of  heaven,  forgive  them,  that 
have,  through  ignorance,  or  an  evil  mind,  forged  lies  a- 
gainst  me.  I  forgive  them  with  all  my  heart ;  and  I  be- 
seech Christ  to  forgive  them,  who  have  condemned  me  to 
death  this  day  ignorantly."  So  being  first  hanged,  he  was 
then  burnt,  many  people  bewailing  his  death. 

We  must  not  pass  over,  in  silence,  the  constancy  of 
Walter  Mille,  one  of  the  martyrs  of  Scodand,  out  of 
whose  ashes  sprung  thousands  of  his  religion  in  Scotland. 
Many  articles  were  drawn  up  against  him,  for  which,  he 
had  sentence  pronounced  against  him,  that  he  should  be 
delivered  to  the  temporal  judge,  and  punished  as  a  here- 
tic, which  was  to  be  burnt. 

When  all  things  were  ready  for  his  death,  and  he  was 
conveyed,  with  armed  men,  to  the  fire,  Andrew  Olifant, 
the  judge  that  passed  sentence  upon  him,  bade  him  '^  go 
to  the  stake,"  he  said,  *'  nay;  except  thou  pull  me  up 
with  thy  hand  ;  for  I  am  forbidden  by  the  law  of  God,  to 
lay  hands  on  myself."  Then  Olill-iU  put  him  up  with  his 
hand  ;  and  he  went  gladly,  sa}'mg,  "  I  \\ill  go  the  altar  of 


206  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS, 

God  ;''  and  desired  that  he  might  have  time  to  speak  to 
the  people,  which  his  executioner  denied,  saying,  "  that 
he  had  spoken  over- much  ;  and  that  the  bishops  were  of- 
fended that  the  matter  was  so  long  continued,"  But 
some  young  men,  that  stood  by,  desired  him  to  speak  what 
he  pleased ;  so,  after  he  had  prayed,  he  rose  up,  and 
standing  upon  the  coals,  said  : 

"  Dear  friends,  the  cause  why  I  suffer  this  day,  is  not 
for  any  crime  laid  to  my  charge,  but  only  for  the  defence 
of  the  faith  of  Christ  Jesus  ;  for  which,  as  the  faithful  mar- 
tyrs have  heretofore  gladly  offered  themselves,  being  as- 
sured, after  the  death  of  their  bodies,  of  eternal  felicity ; 
so  this  day  I  praise  God,  that  he  hath  called  me  of  his 
mercy,  among  the  rest  of  his  servants,  to  seal  his  truth 
wdth  my  life  ;  which,  as  I  have  received  it  of  him,  so 
willingly  I  offer  it  to  his  glory.  Therefore,  as  you  will  es- 
cape the  eternal  death,  be  no  more  seduced  by  the  lies  of 
priests,  monks,  and  bishops,  and  the  rest  of  the  sect  of 
antichrist ;  but  depend  only  upon  Jesus  Christ,  and  his 
mercy,  that  you  may  be  delivered  from  condemnation." 

All  that  while,  there  were  great  mourning  and  lamenta- 
tion of  the  multitude  ;  for  they  perceiving  his  patience, 
stoutness,  boldness,  and  constanc}^,  were  not  only  moved 
and  stirred  up,  but  their  hearts  also  were  so  inflamed , that  he 
was  the  last  martyr  that  died  in  Scotland.  After  his  pray- 
er, he  was  hoisted  up  on  the  stake  ;  and  being  in  the  fire, 
he  said,  "  Lord,  have  mercy  on  me  !  pray,  people,  while 
there  is  time."     And  so  he  departed. 


PERSECUTED    BY     THE     PAPISTS.  207 

Persecutions  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  sixths 


Henry  the  eighth  bemg  dead,  Edward  the  sixth  suc- 
ceeded him,  at  the  age  of  nine  years.  He  was  a  youth  of 
a  meek  nature  and  disposition,  much  incHned  to  clemency 
and  mercy  ;  so  much  so,  that  when  one  Joan  Butcher, 
was  condemned  to  be  burnt  for  heresy,  all  the  council 
could  scarcely  move  him  to  set  his  hand,  saying  to  Cran- 
mer ;  "  what,  will  you  send  her  quick  to  the  devil  in  her 
error  ?"  Doctor  Cranmer  persuaded  him,  with  much  re- 
luctance, to  put  his  hand  ;  to  whom,  he  said,  he  would 
lay  all  the  charge  as  before  the  Lord. 

King  Edward  being  of  so  mild  a  nature,  and  a  person 
inclining  to  love  religion  from  a  child,  he  was  very  zeal- 
ous for  a  further  reformation  in  the  church,  abolishing  the 
mass,  Stc.  and  his  uncle,  the  duke  of  Somerset,  a  man 
also  very  zealous  for  reformation,  and  an  encourager  of 
such  as  professed  the  gospel,  being  appointed  protector 
during  his  nonage,  the  sword  was  taken  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  popish  party,  which  used  ail  means  and  endeav- 
ours to  stir  up  persecution,  and  to  hinder  that  good 
they  found  the  king  and  his  uncle  inclinable  to  ;  vet  there 
were  some  that  suffered  for  religion,  viz.  Joan  of  Kent, 
an  English  woman ;  one  George,  a  Dutchman ;  and  one 
Thomas  Dobb. 

Dobb  was  a  man  fervent  and  zealous  for  religion  ;  and 
so  innocent,  that  he  was  more  apt  to  receive  injuries  than  to 
do  wrong  to  any  one.  It  happened,  that  as  he  was  passing 
St.  Paul's,  in  London,  seeing  the  priest  at  mass,  being  at 
the  elevation,  the  young  man,  filled  with  godly  zeal,  pity- 
ing the  ignorance  and  idolatry  of  the  people',  in  so  de- 
voutly honouring  that  which  the  priest  lifted  up,  was  not 
able  to  forbear,  but  turning  to  the  people,  exhorted  them, 
testifying  against  their  idolatry,  for  which  cause,  he  was 
apprehended  by  the  mayor ;  and  being  accused  by  the 
bishop  of  Canterbury,  he  was  committed  to  the  compter 
in  Bread-street,  where  falling  sick,  he  soon  after  died. 

In  this  king's  time,  there  was  also  John  Home,  a 
servant  to    one    Lcwnax,    for    denying    the    sacrament 


208  PERSECUTED    BV     THE    PAPISTS. 

of  the  altar  to  be  the  real  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ; 
and  for  saying,  that  he  would  never  vail  his  bonnet  to 
it,  if  he  were  burnt  therefor ;  and  that  if  he  heard 
mass,  he  should  be  damned  ;  for  these  things,  he  was 
accused  by  his  master  and  mistress,  and  sent  up  by  them 
to  the  bishop  of  Canterbur^%  with  letters,  desiring  that  he 
might  be  severely  punished  for  the  same  ;  but  no  mention 
is  made  of  his  execution.  I  return  to  give  a  short  account 
of  the  reformation  in  this  king's  time,  and  how  far  it  ex- 
tended. 

Injunctions  were  made  in  his  time,  that  bibles  in  En- 
glish should  be  placed  in  some  convenient  place  in  the 
meeting-house,  that  the  people  might  read  in  them  when 
they  pleased,  and  rather  be  encouraged  to  read  them,  than 
hindered  by  the  priests  or  curates.  That  the  priests  or  cu- 
rates should  not  at  any  time  haunt  taverns  or  ale-houses, 
neither  spend  their  time  idly  in  unlawful  games,  but  should 
give  themselves  to  read  and  hear  the  scriptures  read ;  and 
that  every  beneficed  preacher  should  preach  twice  a  year  ; 
and  that  all  monuments  of  idolatry  in  meeting-houses  and 
windows,  should  be  taken  away  ;  and  that  homilies  should 
be  read  every  Sunday. 

He  repealed  and  abrogated  all  acts,  made  by  former 
kings,  for  the  reformation  of  heretics  and  Lollards,  and 
the  act  of  the  six  articles,  and  all  acts  published,  prohibit- 
ing the  spreading  of  the  scriptures  in  English. 

He  also  sent  a  letter  to  the  archbishop,  signed  by  the 
council,  to  abolish  images,  and  that  the  altar  should  be 
taken  down,  and  a  table  set  up  instead  thereof. 

Though  this  may  be  accounted  but  a  little  reformation, 
yet  it  so  troubled  the  popish  party,  that  they  sought  all 
the  ways  and  means  they  could,  to  hinder  its  further  pro- 
gress ;  and  would  not  be  satisfied  until  they  had  found 
out  a  way  to  answer  their  wicked  purposes.  They  charg- 
ed the  protector  with  being  the  occason  of  all  the  sedition 
that  had  happened  in  the  realm,  &c.  And  though  he  was 
in  a  high  state,  yet  that  did  not  preserve  him  ;  and,  indeed, 
it  is  a  vain  thing  for  man  to  put  confidence  in  worldly 
prosperity,  how  high  soever  he  seemeth,  considering  that 
where  virtue  is  most  perfect,  it  is  there  most  envied  by 
wicked  men,  as  in  the  example  of  this  duke  appears. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THfi    PAPISTS.  209 

Whilst  the  protector  and  his  brother,  who  was  admiral 
of  England,  were  knit  and  joined  together  in  love  and  con- 
cord, they  preserved  themselves,  the  king,  and  the  whole 
commonwealth,  from  the  violence  of  all  their  adversaries, 
who,  after  a  while,  succeeded,  through  slanderous  tongues, 
in  sowing  matter,  first  of  discord  between  them,  then  of 
suspicion,  and  last  of  all  extreme  hatred,  insomuch,  that 
the  protector  suftered  his  brother  to  be  condemned,  and 
to  lose  his  head  ;  whereby  it  came  to  pass,  that  not  long 
after,  he  himself  was  o\  ermatched  by  his  adversaries,  and 
overthrown  by  them  ;  and  being  cast  into  the  tower,  at 
last  he  lost  his  head  also,  to  the  gi'eat  grief  of  many  good 
men ;  and  so  the  fall  of  one  brother  was  the  ruin  of  the 
other  ;  for  it  was  not  long  after  the  admiral  was  beheaded, 
that  insurrections  began  in  several  parts  of  the  kingdom ; 
and  after  they  were  subdued,  several  of  the  lords  assem- 
bled at  Baynard's  Castle,  and  at  the  mayor  of  London's 
house,  and  had  great  consultations  against  the  protector, 
who  was  then  with  the  king  at  Hampton  Court ;  which 
the  king  hearing  of,  sent  the  secretary  to  them  with  a 
message,  to  which  they  made  no  answer,  and  not  long  af- 
ter published  a  proclamation,  in  the  city,  against  the  pro- 
tector, charging  him  with  divers  crimes  ;  as,  that  he  was 
the  chief  occasion  of  all  the  sedition  that  had  of  late  hap- 
pened in  the  kingdom  i  and,  that  he  did  what  was  in  his 
power  to  cause  variance  between  the  king  and  the  nobles  ; 
and  desired  the  city  to  aid  them.  The  king  also  sent  the 
mayor  mid  city  a  letter,  requiring  aid  likewise.  This  put 
the  mayor  and  citizens  in  a  strait,  some  being  for  helping 
the  king,  and  others  for  helping  the  lords,  and  against  the 
protector.  The  recorder  pressed  the  citizens  to  assist  the 
lords  against  the  protector,  who,  he  said,  had  abused  the 
king  and  the  whole  realm.  He  also  pressed  the  common 
council  for  an  ansvv'eV,  and  that  they  would  declare  what 
they  would  do ;  but  they  were  silent  in  the  matter,  until 
one  George  Stadlow  stood  up,  and  said  to  them,  "It  is 
good  to  consider  of  things  past,  to  avoid  dangers  in  things 
to  come;''  and  then  related  to  them,  what  inconveniences 
and  damage  befel  the  citizens,  in  assisting  the  barons  in 
their  wai*s  against  king  Henry  the  third.      In  conclusion, 

2£ 


210  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS, 

the  lords  hearing  what  passed  in  the  city,  assembled  in  the 
star  chamber  next  day,  and  sent  to  the  king,  at  Windsor, 
a  messenger,  who  so  ordered  his  matter  with  the  king,  that 
the  protector  was  apprehended,  and  shortly  after,  was  had 
to  the  Tower  in  London,  and  there  was  charged  with  seve- 
ral aiticles  ;  and  a  terrible  proclamation  was  issued  against 
him;  but  through  the  king's  love  and  labouring  in  his  be- 
half, he  was  shortly  after  let  out  of  the  Tower,  and  the  pro- 
clamation repealed  ;  after  which  trouble,  he  contirmedtwo 
years  at  liberty,  though  not  restored  to  his  former  office. 

But  after  this  respite,  he  was  again  apprehended  and 
committed  to  the  tower,  from  whence  he  was,  in  a  short 
time,  conveyed  through  the  city,  (with  the  tower  axe 
carried  before  him,)  to  Westminster,  and  there  tried  by 
the  peers  ;  where  in  a  quiet,  patient,  and  suffering  spirit, 
he  modestly  behaved  himself,  shewing  himself  an  ex- 
ample of  meekness ;  wisely  replying  to  the  articles  ob- 
jected against  him,  and  w^as  at  last  cleared  of  the  treason 
laid  to  his  charge,  which  the  people  understanding,  were 
greatly  rejoiced  at ;  but  his  adversaries  quickly  found 
out  another  snare ;  for  they  charged  him  with  felony, 
for  intending  and  purposing  the  deathof  the  eai'l  of  North- 
umberland, according  to  a  law,  wherein  it  was  enacted,  that 
it  should  be  felony  for  any  subject  to  seek  or  procure  the 
death  of  any  privy  counsellor.  And,  being  conflemned, 
he  was  again  conveyed  to  the  tower,  and  shortly  after, 
from  thence  was  had  to  the  place  of  execution,  where 
neither  his  voice  nor  countenance  changed,  but  after  his 
tisual  manner,  he  spake  to  the  people,  to  this  effect : 
**  Dearly  beloved  friends,  I  am  brought  hither  to  suffer 
death,  thougli  I  never  offended  the  king,  either  in  word 
or  deed,  and  have  been  always  as  faithful  and  true  to  this 
realm,  as  any  man  hath  been."  And  after  other  words, 
he  said,  *'  moreover,  dearly  beloved  friends,  there  is  yet 
somewhat  that  I  must  put  you  in  mind  of,  as  toucliing 
the  christian  religion,  which,  as  long  as  I  was  in  authori- 
ty,  I  always  diligently  furthered  to  my  power ;  neither 
do  I  repent  me  of  my  doings,  but  rejoice  therein,  seeing 
the  state  of  the  christian  religion  cometh  nearer  to  the 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  211 

order  of  the  primitive  church ;  which  thing  I  esteem  as 
a  ^reat  benefit,  given  of  God,  both  unto  you  and  me ; 
most  heartily  exhorting  you  all,  that  this  which  is  most 
purely  set  forth  unto  you,  you  will  with  the  like  thankful, 
ness  embrace  and  accept  of,  and  shew  forth  the  same  in 
your  living,  which  thing,  if  you  do  not,  without  doubt, 
greater  mischief  and  calamity  will  follow."  And,  after 
other  good  exhortations  to  the  people,  he  kneeled  down, 
without  shewing  any  token  of  trouble  or  fear,  and  like 
a  meek  lamb,  received  the  stroke  of  death. 

As  touching  his  disposition  and  conversation,  whilst 
alive,  they  could  not  be  sufficiently  commended,  accord- 
ing  to  his  worth,  being  a  man  of  so  meek  and  gentle  a 
nature,  as  is  rarely  found  in  so  high  a  state.  He  was 
always  ready  to  give  ear  to  the  complaints  of  the  poor, 
and  was  very  attentive  to  the  affairs  of  the  common- 
wealth. He  was  destitute  of  all  craft  and  deceit,  and  as 
void  of  pride  and  ambition,  as  he  was  of  doing  inju- 
ry.  He  was,  from  his  disposition,  more  apt  to  be  deceiv- 
ed, than  to  deceive.  And  last  of  all,  he  was  a  man 
zealous  for  religion  and  truth,  so  far  as  it  appeared,  and 
had  broken  forth  in  that  day  ;  and,  in  all  likelihood,  he 
would  have  been  a  good  instrument  in  the  work  of  re- 
formation, had  not  this  difference  between  the  lords  and 
him  happened,  which  put  a  period  to  his  days ;  for  as 
long  as  they  agreed,  and  there  was  concord  between  them, 
the  two  great  persecuting  bishops,  Winchester  and  Bon- 
ner, were  kept  under,  and  their  power  was  but  small ; 
but  afterwards,  upon  seeing  the  great  division  amongst 
the  nobles,  they  began  again  to  have  hopes,  that  they 
should  have  another  day  and  time  further  to  execute 
their  persecuting  power,  which  soon  after  they  had ; 
for  the  next  year,  after  the  death  of  the  duke  of  Somer- 
set,  the  king  died  ;  and  queen  Mary  ascended  the  throne  ; 
of  the  bloody  work  in  M'hose  reign,  a  relation  will  be 
given  in  its  place. 


2L2  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Suffmngs  of  William  Gardner^  an  English  merchant,  in 
Portugal,  for  his  testimony  to  the  truth,  against  Popish 
idolatry. 

William  Gardner  was  born  at  Bristol,  of  honest  pa- 
rents. He  was  naturally  given  to  gravity,  of  a  mean  sta- 
ture of  body,  but  of  a  comely  and  pleasant  countenance, 
possessing  excellent  inward  qualities  of  the  mind,  which, 
from  a  child,  he  had  kept  without  spot  of  reprehension. 
While  an  apprentice  with  a  merchant  in  Bristol,  his  master 
sent  him  a  voyage  to  Spain ;  but,  by  accident,  the  ship 
arrived  at  Lisbon,  in  Portugal ;  where,  after  he  came 
ashore,  he  was  very  strict  in  keeping  himself,  lest  he  should 
be  defiled  with  the  Portugal  superstition.  Whilst  he  re- 
mained there,  a  great  marriage  was  solemnized,  between 
the  king  of  Portugal's  son  and  the  king  of  Spain's 
daughter;  which  the  young  man,  amongst  other  people, 
going  to  the  pviblic  place  to  see,  arid  there  beholding  the 
people's  great  idolatry,  he  was  sorely  pricked  and  moved 
in  his  conscience  against  it ;  but  had  not  an  opportunity  to 
bear  his  testimony  against  it  at  that  time  ;  and  left  the 
place,  and  went  away  with  a  great  burden  upon  him ;  and 
so  it  continued  upon 'him,  insomuch  that  he  sought  out  se- 
cret and  solitary  places,  where  he  might  call  upon  God 
with  tears,  and  ease  his  mind,  bewailing  himself  for  neg- 
lecting his  duty,  in  testifying  against  the  impiety  and  su- 
perstition of  that  people  ;  concluding  in  his  mind  to  take 
another  opportunity  to  clear  himself;  and  to  that  end,  he 
made  up  his  accounts  with  all  men;  and  then  gave  him- 
self continually  to  prayer  and  meditation  on  the  Lord,  tak- 
ing little  meat  by  day,  or  sleep  by  night. 

Shortly  after,  he  went,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
to  the  public  place  of  worship,  where  the  king  was  present, 
and  a  great  assembly  of  people.  Getting  as  near  to  the 
high  altar  as  he  could,  and  having  a  Testament  in  English 
in  his  hand,  in  which  he  read  while  the  mass  was  celebrated 
by  the  cardinal,  until  the  cardinal  took  the  host  in  his 
hand  :  then  William,  being  moved  with  zeal,  and  not 
longer  able  to  forbear,  he  stepped  speedily,  and  snatched 
the  cake  out  of  the  priest's  hand,  and  trod  it  under  his 


r 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  213 

feet,  and  overthrew  the  chalice.  This  made  the  people  all 
amazed,  and  rise  in  a  great  tumult ;  and  one  pierced  him  in 
the  shoulder  with  his  dagger,  and  immediately  they  would 
have  killed  him,  had  not  the  king  commanded  he  should  be 
saved. 

After  the  tumult  ceased,  he  was  brought  before  the 
king^  who  asked  him,  what  countryman  he  was  ?  and  how 
he  durst  be  so  bold  as  to  do  such  an  action,  in  contempt 
of  him  and  the  sacrament  of  the  church  ? 

William  Gardner  told  him,  he  was  an  Englishman,  and 
came  thither  a  merchant ;  and  seeing  so  great  idolatry,  in 
so  famous  an  assembly,  he  was  not  satisfied  in  his  con- 
science, until  he  had  acted  what  he  had  done.  Further 
telling  the  king,  there  was  not  any  thought  in  him  of  act- 
ing any  thing  in  contempt  to  his  presence. 

When  he  was  urged  to  discover  the  persons  that  insti- 
gated him  to  the  action,  he  desired  there  might  be  no  such 
suspicion  conceived  of  him,  saying,  he  was  not  moved 
thereunto  by  any  man,  but  by  his  own  conscience,  and 
that  he  did  it  as  required  of  God,  and  for  the  people's  saU 
vation. 

While  he  was  thus  examined,  he  was  ready  to  faint  with 
the  wound  he  received ;  whereupon,  surgeons  were  sent 
for  to  cure  him,  if  possible,  to  the  end  he  might  be  fur- 
ther examined,  and  receive  greater  punishment ;  for  they 
were  fully  persuaded  some  others  had  stirred  him  to  do 
the  action  ;  and  thereupon  the  English  merchants  were  ap- 
prehended, and  his  bed-fellow  was  examined,  and  cruelly 
tormented,  and  kept  in  prison  two  years  after.  And  hav- 
ing searched  William  Gardner's  chamber,  thinking  there 
to  find  out  some  of  the  authors  of  the  enterprise,  but  find- 
ing none,  they  repaired  to  him  again,  urging  him  to  dis- 
cover who  was  the  author  or  instigator  of  him  to  do  the 
fact,  using  an  unheard  of  piece  of  cruelty,  to  make  him 
confess,  which  was  thus  :  They  made  fast  a  thread  to  a 
cloth  ball,  and  thrust  it  douTi  his  throat,  and  then  pulled  it 
up  again,  and  so  pulled  it  to  and  fro  for  some  time,  till 
they  were  wearied  ;  and  seeing  they  could  work  nothing 
that  way,  they  asked  him,  whether  he  did  repent  of  his 
wicked  deed  ?  He  answered,  that  he  thought,  that  if  it 
were  to  do  again,  he  sliould  do  it. 


2H  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

After  they  had  used  divers  torments  to  make  him  con- 
fess, and  saw  it  was  to  no  purpose,  they  had  him  to  execu- 
tion ;  but  first,  they  carried  him  into  the  vestry,  and  cut  off 
his  right  hand  :  then  he  was  had  into  the  market  place, 
and  there  ihey  cut  off  his  left  hand  :  then  his  arms  were 
bound  behind  him,  ^nd  his  feet  under  the  horse's  belly, 
and  so  he  was  carried  to  the  place  of  execution,  where  he 
was  let  down  by  a  pulley  into  the  fire  ;  and  then  pulled 
up  and  let  down  again  ;  all  which  cruelty  he  endured 
with  a  constant  spirit,  saying,  "  O  Eternal  God  !  Father 
of  all  mercies,  look  down  upon  thy  servant."  And  with 
patience  he  suffered,  till  at  last,  the  rope  burning,  he  fell 
down  into  the  fire,  and  was  consumed.  This  was  in  the 
year  1552. 


Persecutions  in  the  reign  of  queen  Marijy  beginning 
anno  1553. 


After  the  death  of  Edward  the  sixth,  queen  Mary 
succeeded ;  and  after  she  was  settled  on  her  throne,  a 
synod  was  assembled,  for  consulting  about  matters  of  re- 
ligion ;  and  especially  the  point  of  the  real  presence  in 
the  sacrament.  After  a  long  disputation,  in  which,  reason 
.and  the  scripture  were  not  so  much  weighed  as  voices 
numbered,  the  papal  side,  having  most  voices,  carried  it ; 
^nd  thereupon  was  that  religion  again  restored,  and  the 
mass  commanded  again  in  all  meeting  houses,  to  be  cele- 
brated after  the  ancient  manner. 

Shortly  after,  cardinal  Poole,  an  Englishman,  who 
had  fied  to  Rome  for  succour,  in  a  former  time,  was  sent 
for  over  again  to  England,  by  the  queen.  He  had  no 
sooner  come,  than  the  attainder  upon  record  against  him 
was,  by  act  of  parliament,  taken  off,  and  he  restored  ;  and 
a  few  days  after,  coming  to  the  parliament,  before  the 
queen  and  both  houses  assembled,  after  the  bishop  of 
Winchester,  who  w^as  chancellor,  had  made  a  short  speech 
to  them,  signifying  the  presence  of  the  cardinal,  and  that 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  215 

he  was  sent  from  the  pope,  as  his  legate,  for  their  good 
and  benefit ;  the  cardinal  stood  up,  and  made  a  long  ora- 
tion to  them,  thanking  them  for  restoring  him,  whereby 
he  was  made  a  member  of  their  society.  Then  he  exhort- 
ed them  to  return  into  the  bosom  of  the  church ;  for 
which  end,  he  was  come,  not  to  condemn,  but  to  recon- 
cile ;  not  to  compel,  but  to  call  and  require.  And  for 
their  first  work  of  reconcilement,  he  required  them  to  re- 
peal and  abrogate  all  such  laws  as  had  formerly  been  made 
in  derogation  of  the  catholic  religion. 

After  which  speech,  the  parliament  drew  up  a  supplica- 
tion, which,  within  tw^o  days  after,  they  presented  to  the 
king  and  queen ;  wherein  they  shewed  themselves  to  be 
very  penitent  for  their  former  errors,  and  humbly  desired 
them  to  intercede  for  them,  to  the  cardinal  and  the  see 
apostolic,  that  they  might  be  pardoned  of  all  they  had 
done  amiss,  and  be  received  into  the  bosom  of  the  church, 
being  themselves  most  ready  to  abrogate  all  laws  prejudi- 
cial to  the  see  of  Rome. 

This  supplication  being  delivered  to  the  cardinal,  he 
then  gave  them  absolution  ni  these  words :  *'  We  (by 
the  apostolic  authority  given  unto  us,  by  the  most  holy 
lord  pope  Julius  the  third,  Christ's  vicegerent  on  earth) 
do  absolve  and  deliver  you,  and  every  of  you,  with  the 
whole  realm  and  dominions  thereof,  from  all  heresy  and 
schism,  and  from  all  judgments,  censures,  and  pains,  for 
that  cause  incurred ;  and  also,  we  do  restore  you  again,  to 
the  unity  of  our  mother  the  holy  church."  The  report 
hereof  coming  to  Rome,  was  cause  that  a  solemn  proces- 
sion was  made,  for  joy  of  the  conversion  of  England  to 
the  church  of  Rome. 

And  now  all  bishops,  who  had  been  deprived  of  their 
bishoprics  in  the  time  of  Edward  the  sixth,  were  restored 
to  them,  and  the  new^  bishops  removed  ;  and  all  that  would 
not  turn  and  forsake  their  religion,  were  turned  out  of 
their  livings.  Stephen  Gardner  and  Bonner  became 
again  to  be  had  in  favour,  and  were  restored  to  their  for- 
mer places  ;  and  several  old  laws  were  again  revived,  by- 
act  of  parliament,  for  the  trial  of  heresy  :  and  commis- 
sions and  inqubitors  were  sent  abroad  into  all  paits  of  th^ 


216  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

realm ;  whereby  many  were  apprehended  and  brought 
to  London,  and  there  imprisoned ;  and  afterwards  most, 
of  them  were  burnt  to  death  ;  or  they,  through  his  cru- 
el  usage,  died  in  prison,  and  were  buried  in  dunghills  in 
the  fields,  to  the  number  of  near  three  hundred  persons, 
men  and  women,  in  the  short  reign  of  this  queen. 

Bonner,  being  reinstated  into  his  bishopric,  sent  forth 
injunctions,  that  six  in  every  parish,  upon  their  oath, 
should  present  before  him  such  as  would  not  conform ; 
and  soon  after,  about  three  score  inhabitants  of  the  city 
of  London,  were  apprehended  and  imprisoned,  for  dis- 
persing and  selling  certain  books,  sent  over  into  Eng- 
land out  of  Germany  and  other  countries. 

About  this  time,  the  people  going  in  procession 
in  Smithfield  ;  and  the  priest  being  under  the  canopy 
with  the  box,  according  to  the  usual  custom,  one  John 
Street,  a  joiner  in  Coleman  street,  going  by  in  haste  a- 
bout  his  business,  by  chance  went  under  the  canopy  by 
the  priest,  at  which  the  priest  was  so  surprised,  and  over- 
come with  fear,  that  he  let  the  pix  fall  down.  The  peo- 
ple being  amazed,  presently  apprehended  the  poor  man, 
and  committed  him  to  the  compter ;  and  the  priest  ac- 
cused him  to  the  council,  as  if  he  came  to  slay  him. 
From  the  compter,  he  was  removed  to  Newgate,  where 
he  was  cast  into  the  dungeon,  and  there  chained  to  a 
post,  and  so  miserably  used  that  he  lost  his  senses  ;  and 
then  they  sent  him  to  Bedlam. 

These  were  but  the  beginnings  of  Bonner's  cruelt}', 
in  this  queen's  time.  The  next  thing  he  did  was,  he 
put  out  a  mandate  to  the  curates  within  his  diocess,  re- 
quiring them  to  abrogate  and  blot  out  all  scripture  texts 
Avritten  upon  the  walls  in  houses  of  worship,  in  Edward 
the  sixth's  time  ;  which,  he  said,  was  opening  a  window 
to  all  vice  ;  and  he  further  commanded,  that  comely  roods 
should  be  again  set  up  in  all  churches. 

The  same  injunction  for  setting  up  roods,  was  pub- 
lished in  other  diocesses  at  this  time  ;  for  at  Cockram,  in 
Lancashire,  the  parishioners  and  wardens  had  agreed 
with  a  carver  to  make  them  a  rood,  and  to  set  it  up  in 
their  house  of  worship,   at  a  certain  price,  which  the 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  217 

carver  did ;  but  the  rood  being  made  of  an  ugly  grim 
countenance,  they  disliked  it,  and  refused  to  pay  th® 
workman  that  made  it ;  whereupon,  by  warrant,  he 
brought  them  before  the  mayor  of  Lancaster,  who  was 
a  favourer  of  the  protestants,  and  a  man  against  images. 
When  they  came  before  the  mayor,  he  asked  them, 
*'  why  they  did  not  pay  the  man  according  to  their  agree- 
ment ?"  They  replied,  ''  they  did  not  like  the  grim- 
ness  of  its  visage;  saying,  they  had  a  man  formerly 
with  a  handsome  face,  and  they  would  have  had  such  an- 
other now."  "  Well,  said  the  mayor,  though  you  like 
not  the  rood,  the  poor  man's  labour  has  been  neverthe- 
less, and  its  pity  he  should  lose  ;  but  I  tell  you  what 
you  shall  do,  pay  him  the  money  you  promised  him, 
and  if  it  will  not  serve  you  for  a  God,  you  may  make 
a  devil  of  it."  At^which,  they  laughed,  and  so  de» 
parted. 

Near  this  time,  about  thirty  men  and  women  were 
taken  at  a  religious  assembly,  in  Bow-yard,  in  Cheap- 
side  ;  and  were  committed  to  prison.  Their  preacher, 
one  Rose,  was  had  before  the  bishop  of  Winchester, 
Stephen  Gardner,  and  by  him  committed  to  the  tower. 

Shortly  after,  Cranmer,  Ridley,  and  Latimer,  three 
bishops,  were  sent  to  the  tower ;  and  from  thence  con- 
veyed to  Oxford ;  there  to  dispute  with  Oxford  and 
Cambridge  men  on  points  of  religion,  but  especially  of 
the  eucharist.  The  Oxford  men  v/ere  Cole,  Chadsey, 
Pye,  Harpsfield,  Smith,  and  Weston,  prolocutor ;  the 
Cambridge  men  were  Young,  Seaton,  Watson,  Feck- 
nam,  Atkinson,  and  Sedgwick.  The  matter  was  so  car- 
ried by  these  twelve  men,  that  it  went  against  the  pris- 
oners ;  and  after  the  disputation  was  ended,  the  prison- 
ers were  brought  again  upon  the  stage,  and  demanded, 
whether  they  would  persist  in  their  opinion,  or  recant  ? 
They  affirming  that  they  would  persist,  were  all  three 
adjudged  heretics,  and  condemned  to  the  fire  ;  but  their 
execution  was  not  till  a  year  or  two  after. 

In  the  mean  time,  we  have  an  account  of  John  Ro- 
gers, an  aged  minister,  who  was  the  proto- martyr  of- 
fered up  in  this  reign  to  popt  ry ;  and  led  the  way  for 

2  F 


218  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

those  sufferers,  whose  blood  has  been  the  seed  of  the 
church. 

Rogers  had  been  some  time  chaplam  to  the  Enghsh 
factory  at  Antwerp.  Tiiere  he  became  acquainted  with 
Tindal,  and  assisted  him  in  his  translation  of  the  New 
Testament.  Rogers,  knowing  that  marriage  was  law- 
ful, and  even  enjoined  in  scripture,  entered  into  that  state 
with  a  virtuous  woman  ;  and  soon  after  set  out  for  Saxo- 
ny, in  consequence  of  an  invitation  for  that  purpose. 

When  young  king  Edward  ascended  the  throne  of 
England,  Rogers  returned  to  his  native  country  ;  and 
was  promoted  by  bishop  Ridley  to  a  prebendary  of  St, 
Paul's.  He  was  also  appointed  reader  of  the  divinity 
lecture  in  that  cathedral,  and  vicar  of  St.  Sepulchre's. 

As  the  queen  was  returning  from  the  tower,  where 
she  had  been  attending  Gardiner's  councils,  Rogers  was 
preaching  at  St.  Paul's  Cross.  He  inveighed  much 
against  popery,  expatiated  on  the  many  virtues  of  the 
late  king  Edward,  and  exhorted  the  people  to  abide  in 
the  protestant  religion. 

For  this  sermon,  he  was  summoned  before  the  coun- 
cil ;  but  he  vindicated  himself  so  well,  that  he  was  dis- 
missed. 

This  lenity  shewn  by  the  council  was  rather  displeas- 
ing to  ihe  queen  ;  and  Rogers's  zeal  against  popery  be- 
ing equal  to  his  knowledge  and  integrity,  he  was  con- 
sidered as  a  person  who  would  prevent  the  re-establish- 
ment of  popery. 

For  this  reason  it  was,  that  he  was  summoned  a  second 
time  before  the  council  ;  and  although  there  were  many 
papists  among  them,  yet  such  was  the  respect  that  most 
people  had  for  Rogers,  that  he  w^as  again  dismissed,  only 
that  he  was  commanded  not  to  go  out  of  his  own  house. 
This  order  he  complied  with,  although  he  might  have 
made  his  escape,  if  he  would.  He  knev/  he  could  have 
had  a  living  in  Germany,  and  he  had  a  wife  and  ten 
children :  but  all  these  things  did  not  move  him.  He 
did  not  court  death,  but  met  it  with  fortitude  when  it 
came. 

He  remained  in  prison,  as  it  were,  in  his  own  house 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  219 

several  weeks,  till  Bonner,  bishop  of  London,  procured 
an  order  to  have  him  committed  to  Newgate,  where  he 
was  lodged  among  thieves  and  murderers. 

He  was  brought  a  third  time  before  the  council, 
where  Gardner,  the  bishop  of  Winchester,  presided. 
The  questions  asked  him  were  of  a  very  frivolous  nature  ; 
but  still  they  were  such,  that  answers  to  them  served  to 
criminate  him. 

He  made  a  most  elaborate  defence,  which,  however, 
did  not  avail  him  in  the  minds  of  his  persecutors.  He 
shewed  them;  that  the  statute  upon  which  he  was  prose- 
cuted, had  never  legally  passed ;  and.  even  if  it  had,  it 
was,  in  all  respects,  contrary  to  the  word  of  God.  For 
whatever  emoluments  might  have  been  bestowed  upon 
the  clergy  from  time  to  time,  they  had  no  right  to  pros- 
ecute those  who  differed  from  them  in  sentiment. 

After  he  had  been  examined  several  times  before  the 
council,  which  was  only  a  mere  farce,  he  was  turned 
over  to  Bonner,  bishop  of  London,  who  caused  him  to 
go  through  a  second  mock  examination ;  and,  at  last, 
declared  him  to  be  an  obstinate  heretic.  A  certificate  of 
this  was,  in  the  ordinary  course,  sent  into  chancciy,  and 
a  writ  was  issued  for  the  burning  of  him  in  Smiihfield. 

When  he  was  taken  out  of  Newgate,  to  be  led  to  the 
place  of  execution,  the  sheriff  asked  him,  if  he  would 
recant  his  opinions  ?  To  this,  he  answered,  "  that  what 
he  had  preached  he  would  seal  with  his  blood.''  *'  Then 
(said  the  sheriff)  thou  art  an  heretic."  To  which,  Ro- 
gers answered,  ''  that  will  be  known  when  we  meet  at 
the  judgment  seat  of  Christ." 

As  they  were  taking  him  to  Smithfield,  his  wife  and 
children  went  to  take  their  last  farewell  of  a  tender  hus- 
band, and  an  indulgent  parent.  The  sheriffs,  however, 
would  not  permit  them  to  speak  to  him.  So  unfeeling 
is  bigotry,  so  merciless  is  superstition !  When  he  was 
chained  to  the  stake,  he  took  notice,  that  God  would,  in 
his  own  good  time,  vindicate  the  truth  of  u  hat  he  had 
taught,  and  appear  in  favour  of  the  protestant  religion. 
Fire  was  then  set  to  the  pile  ;  and  he  was,  in  about  two 
hours,  consumed  to  ashes. 


220  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  next  person  who  suffered  in  this  reign,  was  Lau- 
rence Saunders ;  of  whom,  we  have  the  following  par- 
ticulars :  his  father  had  a  considerable  estate  somewhere 
in  Oxfordshire ;  but  dying  young,  he  left  a  large  family 
of  children.  This  Laurence  was  sent  to  Eton  college, 
as  one  of  the  king's  scholars. 

From  Eton,  he  was,  according  to  the  rules  of  the 
foundation,  sent  to  king's  college  in  Cambridge,  where 
he  studied  three  years,  and  made  great  progress  in  the 
different  sorts  of  learning  then  taught  in  the  schools. 
At  the  end  of  three  years,  he  left  the  university ;  and  re- 
turning to  his  mother,  he  prevailed  upon  her  to  article 
him  to  William  Chester,  a  rich  merchant  in  London, 
who  was  afterwards  sheriff  of  that  city.  He  had  not 
been  long  in  this  employment,  when  he  became  sick,  as 
it  were  of  a  life  of  trade.  He  sunk  into  a  deep  melan- 
choly, and  afterwards  went  into  a  chamber,  where  no  per- 
son saw  him,  to  mourn  for  his  imprudence,  and  to  beg 
of  God  that  he  would,  in  some  manner  or  other,  deliver 
him  from  a  life  so  disgustful. 

His  master,  who  was  a  worthy  man,  took  notice  of  this, 
and  asked  him  his  reason  for  being  in  that  desponding 
condition.  The  young  man  prudently  told  him  ;  upon 
which,  he  immediately  gave  him  up  his  indentures,  and 
sent  him  home  to  his  relations. 

This  the  young  man  considered  as  a  happy  event; 
and  that  no  time  might  be  lost,  he  returned  to  his  stud- 
ies at  Cambridge  ;  and,  what  was  very  uncommon  in 
that  age,  he  learned  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  languages. 
After  this,  he  devoted  himself  wholly  to  the  study  of 
the  sacred  scriptures,  in  order  to  qualify  himself  for 
preaching  the  gospel. 

Li  the  beginning  of  king  Edward's  reign,  when  the 
true  religion  began  to  be  countenanced,  he  entered  into 
orders,  and  began  to  preach  with  great  success.  His 
first  appointment  was  at  Fotheringbam,  w4iere  he  read  a 
divinity  lecture  ;  but  that  college  having  been  dissolved, 
he  was  appointed  a  preacher  in  Litchfield.  In  that  new 
station,  his  conduct  entitled  him  to  great  respect ;  for 
spch  was  his  sweetness  of  temper,  his  knowledge  in  his 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  221 

profession,  his  eloquent  manner  of  addressing  his  hear- 
ers, the  purity  of  his  manners,  and  his  affectionate  ad- 
dresses to  the  heart,  that  all  conspired  to  make  him  an 
amiable  object,  and  his  ministry  useful. 

Afcer  being  some  months  in  Litchfield,  he  removed  to 
the  living  of  Church  Langton,  in  Leicestershire.  There 
he  resided  with  his  people,  and  mstructed  many  who  be- 
fore were  ignorant  of  the  true  principles  of  t.;e  chris  ian 
religion.  He  was  the  same  to  men's  bod  es,  as  to  their 
souls.  All  that  he  received,  besides  the  small  pittance 
that  supported  his  person,  was  given  away  to  feed  the 
hungry,  and  clothe  the  naked. 

His  next  removal  was  to  Alhallows,  in  Bread  street, 
London ;  and  wl^en  he  had  taken  possession  of  it.  he 
went  down  into  the  country,  to  part,  in  an  affectionate 
manner,  with  his  friends. 

It  was  while  he  was  in  the  country,  that  the  pious 
king  Edward  died ;  and  Mary  succeeding  published  a 
proclamation,  commanding  all  her  subjects  to  attend 
mass.  Many  pious  ministers  refused  to  obey  the  royal 
proclamation ;  and  none  were  more  forward  in  doing  so 
than  Saunders.  He  continued  to  preach,  whenever  he 
had  an  opportunity,  and  to  read  the  prayer  book,  with 
the  scriptures,  to  the  people,  till  he  was  apprehended,  in 
the  following  manner. 

He  was  advised  to  leave  the  nation,  as  pious  Dr.  jew- 
el, and  many  others  did ;  but  he  would  not,  declaring  to 
his  friends,  that  he  was  willing  to  die  for  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  According!  ,  ne  left  his  peopk  in  Leice- 
stershire, and  travelled  towards  London.  On  his  arri.  a! 
near  which,  he  was  met  by  John  Mordant,  a  p»-ivv  coun- 
sellor to  queen  Mary,  who  asked  iiiin  whoie  hv^  was  ,^o- 
ing  ?  Saunders  said,  to  his  living  in  Bread-street,  to  in- 
struct his  people.  Mordant  desired  him  not  to  go  ;  to 
which  Saunders  answered:  *'  how  shall  I  then  be  account- 
able to  God '?  If  any  be  sick  and  die  before  consola- 
tion, then  what  a  load  of  guiit  Vviil  be  upon  my  con- 
science, as  an  unfaithful  shepherd,  and  an  unjust  stew- 
ard !'' 


222  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTSa 

Mordant  asked  him,  whether  he  did  not  frequently 
preach  in  Bread- street  ?  and  being  answered  in  the  af- 
firmative, he  endeavoured  to  dissuade  him  from  doing  so 
any  more.  Saunders,  however,  was  resolute,  and  told 
him,  he  would  continue  to  preach  as  long  as  he  lived  ; 
and  invited  the  other  to  come  and  hear  him  the  next  day  ; 
adding  that  he  would  certainly  confirm  him  in  the  truth 
of  those  sentiments  which  he  taught.  Upon  this,  they 
parted  ;  and  Mordant  went  and  informed  bishop  Bonner, 
that  Saunders  would  preach  in  his  own  church  the  next 
Sunday. 

In  the  mean  time,  Saunders  went  to  his  lodging,  with 
a  mind  resolved  to  do  his  duty.  When  a  person  came 
to  visit  him,  and  took  notice  to  him  that  he  seemed  to  be 
in  trouble,  he  said  he  was  ;  adding,  ''  I  am,  as  it  were, 
in  prison,  till  I  speak  to  my  people."  So  earnest  was  his 
desire  to  discharge  his  duty,  and  so  little  did  he  regard 
the  malice  of  his  enemies  ! 

Soon  after  he  preached  to  his  hearers,  and  made  a  most 
elaborate  discourse  against  the  errors  of  popery.  He  ex- 
horted the  people  to  remain  steadfast  in  the  truth  ;  not  to 
fear  those  who  can  only  kill  the  body,  but  to  fear  him 
who  can  throw  both  soul  and  body  into  hell.  He  was 
attended  by  a  great  concourse  of  people,  which  gave 
much  offence  to  the  clergy,  particularly  to  bishop  Bon- 
ner. 

No  notice,  however,  was  taken  of  him  in  the  forenoon  ; 
but,  in  the  afternoon,  when  he  intended  to  have  preached 
again,  Bonner  sent  an  officer  to  apprehend  him  ;  accord- 
ingly, he  went  with  the  officer  ;  and  John  Mordant  appear- 
ed to  give  evidence  against  him. 

Saunders  v/as  charged  with  treason  and  sedition,  for 
having  disobeyed  the  queen's  proclamation  ;  but  Bon- 
ner had  other  objects  in  view  than  that  of  bringing  this 
man  to  trial  at  common  law.  Heresy  was  the  main 
thing  he  had  in  view,  and  nothing  else  v»/ould  go  down. 
And  here  it  is  necessary  to  observe,  that  the  bishop  was 
too  hasty,  for  the  queen's  proclamation  could  not  be  law, 
unless  sanctioned  by  an  act  of  parliament,  which  it  was 
not. 


PERSECtATED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  223 

'  After  much  conversation  on  the  different  points*  in  re- 
ligion, the  bishop  desired  him  to  write  what  his  senti- 
ments  were  concerning  transubstantiation.  To  this  re- 
quest, Saunders  replied,  *'  my  Lord,  I  know  you  want  to 
insnare  me  ;  you  seek  for  my  blood,  and  you  shall  have 
it.  Perhaps  the  reflection  of  taking  my  life,  without  cause, 
may  bring  you  to  a  sense  of  guilt,  and  make  you  a  better 
man." 

The  next  thing  the  bishop  did,  was,  to  send  Saunders, 
under  the  care  of  Mordant,  to  the  house  of  the  chancel- 
lor, who  happened  not  to  be  at  home  ;  so  that  he  was 
obliged  to  tarry  for  him  four  hours  in  the  servants'  hall. 
During  the  whole  of  this  space  of  time,  Saunders  did  not 
so  much  as  receive  the  least  refreshment,  but  stood  bare- 
headed, while  Mordant  kept  walking  backwards  and  for- 
wards across  the  room. 

At  length,  Gardner,  the  chancellor,  arrived  ;  and,  send- 
ing for  Saunders  into  his  chamber,  asked  him,  how  he 
could  be  so  bold  as  to  disobey  the  queen's  proclamation  ? 
Saunders  acknowledged,  that  he  had  preached  contrary  to 
the  proclamation  ;  and  that  he  thought  it  his  duty  to  do 
so,  even  although  it  should  cost  him  his  life.  He  added, 
that  what  he  did,  arose  from  the  dictates  of  his  heart, 
which  commanded  him  to  preach  the  gospel  in  season, 
and  out  of  season :  that  he  should  be  accountable  at 
the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  if  he  neglected  any  part  of 
his  duty  in  teaching,  aikl  comforting  his  people  in  their 
most  holy  faith,  so  as  to  meet  them  on  the  right  hand  of 
the  judge. 

The  chancellor  poured  out  much  abuse  on  Saunders, 
telling  him  he  was  a  hypocrite  and  a  heretic,  notwithstand- 
ing all  his  pretensions  to  a  tender  conscience.  He  ac- 
cused him  farther,  of  having  called  the  queen  a  bastard, 
or  rather  worse,  namely,  that  she  had  been  born  in  a  state 
of  incest. 

It  is  well  known,  that  Henry's  first  marriage  with 
Catharine  had  been  declared  inconsistent  with  the  canons 
of  the  church  ;  and,  therefore,  had  Saunders  called  her  br 
such  names,  he  might,  according  to  law,  have  sheltered 
himself  under  an  act  of  parliament.     But  the  truth  is, 


224  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

Saunders  never  traduced  the  queen's  character ;  but,  in 
speaking  to  Gardner,  he  made  use  of  a  most  severe  sar- 
casm, by  telhng  him,  that  there  need  not  be  much  dis- 
pute concerning  this  matter  with  his  lordship,  who  had 
actually  signed  the  declaration  concerning  the  illegitima- 
cy of  Mary's  birth.  This  was  bringing  tlie  argument 
home  to  him  ;  but  the  severity  of  the  satire  filled  Gard- 
ner with  strong  motives  of  revenge. 

Saunders  told  the  chancellor,  he  had  no  objection 
against  suffering  for  that  God  who  had  given  him  cour- 
age to  declare  his  sentiments  without  fear,  and  would 
support  him  under  all  sorts  of  afflictions  ;  and  although 
he  would  never  give  intentional  offence,  yet  he  was  not, 
by  any  means,  to  injure  his  conscience,  by  giving  up  the 
truth  as  it  was  revealed  in  the  word  of  God. 

Gardner,  upon  this,  remanded  Saunders  to  prison, 
where  he  continued  no  less  than  one  year  and  three 
months  ;  daring  which  time,  he  wrote  several  letters  to 
those  great  and  worthy  persons,  who  afterwards  fuffered 
for  the  truth. 

As  this  pious  minister  saw  no  hopes  of  getting  releas- 
ed from  prison,  he  drew  up  a  paper  which  he  sent  to  the 
chancellor,  containing  sentiments  to  the  following  purport : 
namely,  that  he  did  not  believe  he  had  transgressed  a- 
gainst  the  proclamation,  for  it  did  not  command  ministers 
to  preach  against  the  dictates  of  their  consciences. 

As  for  his  religion,  he  said  ^X  was  the  same  as  that 
taught  in  the  New  Testament.  He  worshipped  the  God 
of  his  fathers,  after  the  manner  they  called  heresy  :  that 
it  was  an  easy  matter  to  call  people  heretics,  and  to  pro- 
ceed against  them  by  the  assistance  of  the  civil  power  : 
but  the  best  way  was  to  attempt,  and,  if  possible,  to  con- 
fute their  notions  by  solid  argument. 

The  next  observations  made  use  of  by  Saunders  were 
of  a  striking  nature  indeed.  He  declared,  that  no  man 
could  be  a  faithful  servant  of  Christ,  who  acknowledged 
the  papal  supremacy.  He  said,  it  was  the  noblest  of  his 
glory  ;  and  this  is  no  more  than  what  has  been  certified 
by  most  of  the  martyrs  who  suffered  under  the  papal  pow- 
er.    He  observed,  that  traditions  were  not  commanded 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  225 

by  the  word  of  God,  nor  did  they  make  any  any  part  of  re- 
ligion. 

In  some  other  of  his  letters,  he  speaks  of  his  entire  con- 
fidence in  God ;  and,  in  every  one  of  them,  there  is  some- 
thing inviting  the  faithful  to  abide  by  the  truth. 

Saunders  was  a  married  man  ;  and,  in  a  letter  to  his 
wife,  he  declared  his  firm  attachment  to  the  truth  of  the 
gospel,  according  to  the  reformed  religion,  as  it  had 
been  set  forth  in  the  reign  of  king  Edward  VI.  The 
sentiments  in  this  letter  are  truly  evangelical;  and  such 
as  would  have  done  honour  to  one  of  the  primitive  mar- 
tyrs. 

He  told  her,  there  could  be  no  confidence  in  the  divine 
being,  where  a  fixed  truth  was  not  placed  in  the  righteous- 
ness of  a  redeemer.  He  added  further,  that  she  must  not 
consider  him  any  longer  as  a  husband  for  her  in  this  world, 
but  that  he  hoped  to  spend  an  eternity  with  her.  He  told 
her,  that,  if  she  should  be  molested  for  the  truth,  it  was 
her  duty  to  examine  her  own  mind,  and  attend  to  every 
thing  that  could  lead  her  to  happiness  ;  that  the  blessings 
of  the  everlasting  covenant  could  6nly  be  insured  to  believ- 
ers in  consequence  of  the  death  of  Christ ;  and  that  the  firm 
persuasion  of  the  resurrection  of  our  Redeemer,  was  the  on- 
ly means  the  infinite  wisdom  could  contrive,  in  order  to 
bring  us  to  a  state  of  happiness. 

In  one  of  his  letters  to  Cranmer,  who  was  then  a  prison- 
er, as  well  as  hhnself,  he  expressed  a  firm  belief  of  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul^  Ur.tL  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  ac- 
cording to  the  gospel  dispensation.  At  the  same  time,  he 
lamented  that  darkness  which  the  corruption  of  hunmn  na- 
ture has  thrown  over  our  understandings  :  that  as  \\^  see 
here  but  through  a  glass  darkly,  so  our  faith  should  increase 
in  strength,  in  consequence  of  a  longing  desire  for  immor- 
tality. He  added  a  great  deal  concerning  the  vast  impor- 
tance of  the  ministerial  office,  and  the  necessity  for  minis- 
ters to  keep  themselves  from  giving  offence,  lest  the  gospel 
should  be  blamed. 

In  another  letter  to  his  wife,  he  said  much  concerning 
that  long  friendship  and  happiness  which  he  had  enjoyed 
witji  her.     He  expressed  his  earnest  desire  still  to  have  en- 

2   G 


226  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

joyed  her  company,  had  it  been  consistent  with  the  will  of' 
God.  But  as  he  kne^  his  death  was  resolved  on,  he  beg- 
ged she  would  pray,  that  God  would  enable  her  to  bear 
such  an  event,  and  that  he  might  likewise  be  enabled  to  go 
through  it  as  became  a  good  soldier  of  Christ  Jesus.  He 
gave  her  the  utmost  encouragement  to  trust  in  the  merits 
and  mercies  of  Christ  Jesus ;  to  make  him  her  only  friend ; 
and  then  he  would  never  leave  nor  forsake  her.  He 
said  much  concerning  the  strength  he  had  in  Christ  Jesus, 
who  had  gone  the  road  of  suffering  before  him ;  and  cau- 
tioned her  against  denying  the  truth,  whatever  punishments 
the  papists,  and  other  enemies  of  Clirist,  might  threaten 
her  with. 

In  another  letter  to  his  wife,  he  said  much  concerning 
those  consolations  which  God  gives  to  those  who  suffer 
for  his  name's  sake.  He  takes  notice,  that  the  whole  of  hu- 
man life  is  one  continual  torment ;  and  therefore,  when  we 
are  just  going  to  take  possession  of  a  glorious  and  eternal 
inheritance,  we  should  not  repine  at  going  through  a  few 
hardships.  And  what  are  these  hardships,  when  compared 
with  the  dreadful  punishments  which  God  will  inflict  on 
apostates  hereafter  1 

He  was  confined  in  the  Marshalsea  prison ;  and  strict  or- 
ders were  given  to  the  keepers,  not  to  suffer  any  person  to 
converse  with  him.  His  poor  wife,  however,  came  to  the 
prison  with  her  young  child  in  her  arms  ;  and  the  keeper 
had  so  much  compassion,  that  he  took  the  child  and  carried 
it  to  its  lather.  f^ 

Saunders  seeing  the  child,  rejoiced  greatly,  saying  it 
was  a  peculiar  happiness  for  him  to  have  such  a  boy.  And 
to  the  standers  by,  who  admired  the  beauty  of  the  child, 
he  said,  what  man,  fearing  God,  would  not  lose  his  life, 
sooner  than  have  it  said,  that  the  mother  of  this  child  was 
a  harlot? 

He  said  these  words,  in  order  to  point  out  the  woful  ef- 
fects of  popish  celibacy  ;  for  the  priests  being  denied  the 
privilege  of  miirriage,  seduced  the  wives  and  daughters  of 
many  of  the  inhabitants,  thereby  producing  illegitimate 
children,  who  were  left  exposed  to  all  sorts  of  hardships. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  227 

After  all  these  afflictions  and  suflTerings,  Saunders  was 
brought  before  the  council,  where  the  chancellor  sat  as 
president ;  and  there  he  was  asked  a  great  number  of 
questions  concerning  his  opinions.  1  hese  questions  werc- 
proposed  in  so  artful  and  insnaring  a  manner,  that  the 
prisoner,  by  tellir.g  the  truth,  must  criminate  himself; 
and  to  have  stood  mute,  would  have  swbjected  him  to  the 
torture. 

Under  such  circumstances,  God  gave  hjm  fortitude  to 
assert  the  tiuth,  by  declaring  his  abhorrence  of  ail  die  doc- 
tri.ies  of  popery. 

The  examination  being  ended,  the  officers  led  him  out 
of  the  place,  and  then  waited  till  some  other  prisoners  were 
examined.  While  Saunders  was  standing  among  the 
officers,  seeing  a  great  number  of  people  assembled,  as  is 
common  on  such  occasions,  he  exhorted  them  to  beware 
of  falling  off  from  Christ  to  antichrist,  as  many  were 
then  returning  to  popery,  because  they  had  not  fortitude  to 
sufter. 

The  chancellor  ordered  him  to  be  excommunicated,  and 
committed  him  to  the  compter,  which  was  in  his  own  pa- 
rish of  Bread- street.  This  was  a  great  comfort  to  him,  be- 
cause he  was  visited  by  many  of  his  people,  whom  he  ex- 
horted to  constancy  ;  and,  when  they  were  denied  admit- 
tance, he  spoke  i^  them  through  the  grate. 

On  the  4th  of  the  month  called  February,  the  sheriff  of 
London  delivered  him  ,^  the  bishop,  who  degraded  him  ; 
and  Saunders  said,  "^  fhank  God,  I  am  now  out  of  your 
church." 

The  day  following,  he  was  given  up  to  some  of  the 
queen's  officers,  who  were  appointed  to  convey  him  down 
to  Coventry,  there  to  be  burned.  The  first  night,  they  lay 
at  St.  Albin's,  where  Saunders  took  an  opportunity  of  re- 
buking a  person  who  had  ridiculed  the  christian  faith. 

After  they  an'ived  at  Coventry,  a  poor  shoe- maker,  who 
had  formerly  worked  for  Saunders,  came  to  him,  and  said, 
*'  O,  my  good  master,  may  God  strengthen  you!"  "  Good 
shoe-maker,  (answered  Saunders)  I  beg  you  will  pray  for 
me,  for  I  am  at  present  in  a  ^'cry  weak  condition  ;  but  I 
hope  my  gracious  God,  who  h:\th  appointed  me  tp  it^  ^vill 
give  me  stren§;th." 


228  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

The  same  night,  he  spent  in  the  common  prison,  praying 
for,  and  exhorting  all  those  who  went  to  hear  him. 

The  next  day,  he  was  led  to  the  place  of  execution,  in 
the  Park,  without  the  gate  of  that  city,  going  in  an  old  gown 
and  shirt,  barefooted  ;  and,  he  often  fell  flat  on  the  ground 
and  prayed.  When  he  approached  the  place  of  execution, 
the  under-sheriff  told  him,  he  was  an  heretic,  and  that  he 
led  the  people  away  from  the  tnie  religion  ;  but  yet,  if  he 
would  recant,  the  queen  would  pardon  him.  To  this, 
Saunders  answelr^d,  "  that  he  had  not  filled  the  realm  with 
heresy  ;  for  he  had  taught  the  people  the  pure  truths  of 
the  gospel  ;  and,  in  all  his  sermons,  Avliile  he  exhorted  the 
people,  he  firmly  desiied  his  hearers  to  be  obedient  to  the 
queen." 

When  brought  to  the  stake,  he  embraced  it  ;  and,  af* 
ter  being  fastened  to  it,  and  the  fagots  lighted,  he  said, 
**  w^elcome,  the  cross  of  Christ !  welcome,  everlasting  life!'' 
soon  after  which,  he  resigned  his  soul  into  the  hands  of 
him  who  gave  it. 


The  sufferings  and  Martyrdom  of  bishop  Hooper, 

I, 

John  Hooper  was  a  student  and  grarliate  of  the  uni- 
versity of  Oxford,  where  he  applied  himself  to  a  diligent 
search  of  the  holy  scriptures,  joinj-^  "  v/ith  earnest  prayers, 
that  God  would  enlighten  his  unuCi  standing,  and  guide 
him  in  the  right  way. 

When  the  six  articles  were  published.  Dr.  Hooper  did 
all  he  could  to  oppose  them,  as  maintaining  every  thing 
in  the  popish  system,  except  the  supremacy.  He  preach- 
ed frequently  against  them,  which  created  him  many 
enemies  in  Oxford  ;  but  Henry  VHI.  had  such  an  opin- 
ion of  him,  that  he  would  not  suffer  him  to  be  moles- 
ted. 

Soon  after  this,  he  was  compelled  b}^  persecution  to 
leave  the  university,  and  afterwards  the  kingdom ;  and  as 
he  was  flying  from  city  to  city,  he  came  at  length  to  Ba- 
ml,  where  he  married  a  pious  woman  ;  and  afterwards 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  22§ 

settled  at  Zurick,  in  Switzerland.  There  he  applied  so 
close  to  his  studies,  that  he  made  himself  master  of  the  He- 
brew language. 

At  length,  when  the  true  religion  was  set  up,  after  the 
death  of  king  Henry  VHT.  amongst  other  English  exiles 
that  returned,  was  Hooper.  In  the  most  grateful  man- 
ner, he  returned  thanks  to  all  his  friends  abroad,  who  had 
shewn  him  so  much  compassion ;  particularly  to  the  learn- 
ed Bullinger,  who  was  a  great  friend  to  all  those  who 
were  persecuted  for  the  gospel.  When  he  took  an  affec- 
tionate leave  of  Bullinger,  he  told  him,  that  he  w^ould  write 
to  him  as  often  as  he  could  find  an  opportunity  ;  but  ad- 
ded, probably  I  shall  be  burned  to  ashes,  and  then  some 
friend  will  give  you  information. 

When  Dr.  Hooper  arrived  in  London,  he  was  so  much 
filled  with  zeal  to  promote  the  gospel,  that  he  preach- 
ed every  day  to  crowded  congregations.  In  his  ser- 
mons, he  reproved  sinners  in  general,  but  particularly 
directed  his  discourse  against  the  erroneous  vices  of  the 
times. 

After  he  had  preached  some  time,  with  great  success 
in  the  city,  he  was  sent  for  by  king  Edward  VI,  who  ap- 
pointed him  one  of  his  chaplains,  and  soon  after  made  him 
bishop  of  Gloucester,  by  letters  patent  under  the  great 
seal ;  having  at  t}'<  same  time  the  care  of  the  bishopric  of 
Worcester  committed  to  him. 

As  Dr.  Hooper  h.v- yeen  some  time  abroad,  he  con- 
tracted an  aversion  tu^the  popish  ceremonies  ;  and,  before 
he  WTnt  to  his  bishopric,  he  requested  of  the  king  that  he 
might  not  be  obliged  to  give  countenance  to  them,  which 
was  complied  with,  though  much  against  the  inclinations 
of  the  other  bishops.  He  and  his  brethren  had  many  dis- 
putes about  the  Romish  tenets,  which  may  serve  to  shew 
that  there  are  some  remains  of  corruption  in  the  best  of 
men.  Some  men  seek  honours  with  unwearied  zeal,  and 
seem  to  take  more  pleasure  in  tides,  than  in  considering 
that  an  elevated  rank  only  increases  the  necessity  of  being 
more  enlarged  in  duty. 

Dr.  Hooper  differed  from  this  set  of  men  ;  for,  instead 
of  seeking  after  any  preferments,  he  w^ould  never  have  ac- 


S50  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

cepted  of  any,  had  they  not  been  offered  him.  Havmg  the 
care  of  two  diocesses,  he  held  and  guided  them  both  to- 
gether, as  if  they  had  been  but  one.  His  leisure  time, 
which  was  but  Httle,  he  spent  in  hearing  causes,  private 
prayer,  and  reading  the  scriptures.  He  hkewise  visited 
the  schools,  and  encouraged  the  youth  in  their  learning. 
He  had  children  of  his  own,  whom  he  likewise  instructed^ 
and  treated  them  with  all  the  tenderness  of  an  indulgent 
parent. 

Fox  tells  us,  he  kept  gi^eat  tables,  with  provisions  for  the 
poor,  which  was  a  very  pious  action  in  those  times,  because 
the  people  who  had  been  driven  out  of  the  convents,  roved 
up  and  down  the  country  starving.  He  relieved  a  certain 
number  of  these  every  day  ;  and,  when  they  had  done  eat- 
ing, he  delivered  a  discourse  to  them  on  the  principles  of  the 
christian  religion. 

After  this  manner,  he  continued  to  discharge  his  dut}^  as 
a  faithful  pastor,  during  the  whole  of  king  Edward's  reign. 
But  no  sooner  was  the  pious  young  king  laid  in  the  grave, 
and  Mary  proclaimed,  than  a  sw'jeant  at  arms  was  sent  to 
arrest  bishop  Hooper,  in  order  to  answer  to  two  charges. 

First,  to  answer  to  Dr.  Heath,  who  had  been  deprived  of 
the  diocess  of  Gloucester,  for  his  adherence  to  popery,  but 
was  now  restored  by  the  queen.  Secondly,  to  answer  to 
Dr.  Bonner,  bishop  of  London,  who  ^\ns  restored  by  the 
queen,  for  having  given  evidence  to  king  Edward  against 
that  persecuting  prelate.  // 

Bishop  Hooper  w;as  desired  by  sortit  of  his  friends,  to  get 
away  ;  but  his  answer  was,  ''  I  once  fled  for  my  life,  but  I 
am  determined,  through  the  strength  and  grace  of  God,  to 
witness  the  truth  to  the  last.'' 

Being  brought  before  the  queen  and  council,  Gardner 
was  sitting  as  president,  who  accused  bishop  hooper  of 
heresy,  calling  him  by  the  most  opprobrious  names.  This 
was  in  the  month  of  Septemper,  1553  ;  and  he  lay  in  pris- 
on; on  a  charge  of  being  indebted  to  the  queen  in  several 
sums  of  money.  The  Spring  following,  1554,  when  he 
was  called  again  to  appear  before  Gardner,  the  chancellor, 
and  several  of  the  bishops  would  not  suffer  him  to  plead  his 
cause,'  but  deprived  him  ol  his  bisiiopric. 


PERSECUTED    JHY    THE    PAPISTS.  231 

Being  asked,  whether  he  was  a  married  man,  he  an- 
ewertd  in  the  affirmative,  and  declared  that  he  would  not 
be  unmarried  until  death  occasioned  a  separation  ;  hence 
he  looked  upon  tue  marriage  of  the  clergy  necessary. 

The  more  they  attempted  to  brow- beat  him,  the  more 
resolute  he  became,  and  the  more  pertinent  in  his  answers. 
He  produced  the  decrees  of  the  council  of  Nice,  which 
first  ascertained  the  canon  of  scripture,  where  it  was  or- 
dained to  be  lawful,  as  well  as  expedient  for  the  clergy  to 
marry.-  This  was  to  very  little  purpose  with  men  who 
had  their  instructions  from  the  queen  ;  and  therefore,  the 
bishop  was  committed  to  tiie  tower,  but  afterwards  re- 
moved to  the  fleet. 

As  the  determination  for  burning  him  was  not  agreed 
on,  he  was  only  considered  as  a  debtor  to  the  queen,  for 
the  rents  of  his  bishopric,  which  was  the  reason  of  his 
being  sent  to  the  fleet.  This,  however,  was  a  most  un- 
just charge  ;  for  the  protestant  religion  had  been  estab- 
lished in  the  first  year  of  the  reign  of  her  brother  Ed- 
ward, by  act  of  parliament ;  so  that  Dr.  Hooper's  ac- 
cepting of  a  bishopric  was  in  all  respects  legal  and  consti- 
tutional. 

As  a  debtor,  he  was  to  have  the  rules  of  the  fleet,  which 
the  warden  granted  him  for  five  pounds  sterling  ;  but 
went  immediately  and  informed  Gardner,  who,  notwith- 
standing he  had  paid  the  money,  ordered  him  to  be  close 
confined.  i 

He  was  now  in  a  Jreidful  situation  ;  and  the  warden, 
whose  name  was  Babington,  informed  against  him  for  not 
going  to  mass ;  upon  which,  he  was  locked  up  in  a  small 
room,  where  he  had  nothing  but  straw  to  lie  upon,  with  a 
rotten  covering,  and  such  other  things,  till  at  last,  some 
pious  people  sent  him  a  bed. 

During  this  time,  he  was  taken  ill,  and  the  doors  being 
all  fiist  locked,  he  mourned  and  called  for  help  ;  but  the 
warden  would  neither  give  him  any  assistance,  nor  sufier 
the  prisoners,  who  were  willing,  to  do  so,  telling  them,  it 
would  be  well  if  he  should  die. 

Notwithstanding  all  this  cruelty.  Dr.  Hooper  always 
paid  the  warden  every  fee  that  he  demanded,  besides  an 


1 


232  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

additional  allowance  for  his  board.  His  servant,  who 
had  been  many  years  with  him,  came  to  see  him,  and  the 
warden  caused  him  to  be  stripped  and  searched  for  letters, 
but  could  find  none,  besides  the  names  of  a  few  of  his 
friends  who  wished  him  well.  The  warden  was  so  base 
as  to  carry  the  names  of  these  persons  to  the  chancellor, 
who  ordered  several  of  them  to  be  taken  into  custody, 
and  all  Hooper's  goods  were  seized. 

After  he  had  been  eighteen  months  in  prison,  the  war- 
den of  the  fleet  was  ordered  to  bring  him  beforethe  chancel- 
lor Gardner,  whx),  with  other  bishops,  was  appointed  to 
examine  him  a  second  time,  at  Gardner's  house  in  South- 
wark. 

When  brought  before  these  merciless  persecutors,  the 
chancellor  made  a  long  speech  to  him,  desiring  him  to 
forsake  the  opinions  he  had  embraced,  and  return  to  the 
bosom  of  the  church  ;  adding  that  as  the  pope  was  the 
church,  so  it  was  breaking  through  her  unity  to  separate 
from  her.  He  promised  to  procure  him  the  pope's  abso- 
lution, if  he  would  recant  his  opinions  ;  but  this  was  noth' 
ins:  more  or  less  than  a  farce  ;   for  Gardner  knew   well 

o  .... 

that  Hooper  was  too  well  grounded  in  his  religious  opin- 
ions, to  comply  with  any  such  request. 

To  this,  Dr.  Hooper  answered,  that  as  the  popes's  doc» 
trine  was  contrary  to  the  sacred  scriptures  :  and  as  he 
could  not  be  the  head  of  the  church,  because  tliere  was 
no  head  of  it  but  Christ,  so  he  w^.ald  live  and  die  assert- 
ing the  doctrines  he  had  taught. 

Gardner  replied,  that  the  queen  would  never  shew  any 
mercy  to  the  enemies  of  the  pope  ;  whereupon,  Babing- 
ton,  the  warden,  was  commanded  to  take  him  back  to  the 
fleet.  It  was  likewise  ordered,  that  he  should  be  shifted 
from  his  former  chamber,  Avhich  was  done  ;  and  he  was 
searched  to  find,  if  possible,  whether  he  had  any  books 
concealed  about  him  ;   but  none  were  found. 

Three  days  after,  he  was  again  brought  before  the 
chancellor  to  be  examined,  whether  or  not  he  would  re- 
cant, but  nothing  could  shake  his  constancy. 

He  continued  in  prison  about  ten  days  longer,  when 
the  bishop  went  to  degrade  him,  which  was  done  in  the 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  23§ 

usual  form,  by  putting  the  difterent  robes  upon  him 
worn  by  priests,  and  then  taking  them  oft'.  The  reason 
why  they  did  not  put  on  him  the  bishop's  robes  was,  that 
they  did  not  admit  of  the  validity  of  his  ordination. 
While  they  were  taking  these  robes  off  from  him,  he 
told  them  he  was  glad  to  part  with  them,  because  his 
mind  had  always  been  against  them,  and  considered  them 
as  no  better  than  heathenish  relics.  In  fact,  they  were 
such ;  for  the  same  robes  were  worn  by  the  priests  before 
the  time  of  the  emperor  Constantine  the  great. 

A  few  hours  after  he  was  degraded,  the  keeper  came 
to  him,  and  told  him,  he  was  to  be  sent  down  to  Glouce- 
ster to  suffer  death.  Upon  this,  he  lifted  up  his  eyes 
and  hands  to  heaven,  praising  God  that  he  was  to  die  a- 
mong  his  own  people,  as  it  would  be  the  means  of  con- 
firming them  in  the  truth  of  what  lie  had  taught  them. 
He  immediately  sent  to  his  servant  for  his  boots  and 
cloak,  that  he  might  be  in  readiness  to  attend  them> 
whenever  they  should  come  for  him. 

About  four  in  the  morning,  he  was  taken  out  6f  pris- 
on by  the  sheriff,  and  conducted  to  the  sign  of  the  an- 
gel. Fleet  street.  There  he  was  received  by  the  queen's 
officers,  who  had  the  warrant  for  his  execution ;  after 
which,  they  perrnitted  him  to  take  some  refreshment. 

About  the  break  of  day,  he  cheerfully  mounted  on  horse-- 
back,  witliout  help,  having  a  hood  on  his  head  under  his 
hat,  that  he  should  no\  be  known ;  and  thus  equipped, 
with  a  serene  and  cheerful  countenance,  he  proceeded  on 
the  road  for  Gloucester,  attended  by  his  keepers.  The 
guards  asked  him,  what  houses  he  was  accustomed  to 
use  on  the  road ;  and,  when  they  were  informed,  in  or- 
der to  perplex  him,  they  took  him  to  others. 

After  three  days,  they  arrived  at  Cirencester,  a  town 
in  his  own  diocess,  and  about  eleven  miles  from  Glouce- 
ster. It  being  about  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon, 
they  dined  at  a  woman's  house  who  had  always  hated 
the  protestants,  and  traduced  bishop  Hooper's  character 
as  much  as  possible.  This  woman,  seeing  his  constan- 
c}\  wa<i  so  affected,  that  she  lamented  his  case  ^^•ith  tears, 

2h 


234  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

and  begged  his  pardon  for  the  manner  in  which  she  had 
treated  aim. 

Dinner  being  over,  they  proceeded  to  Gloucester, 
where  they  arrived  about  five  in  the  afternoon.  A  great 
crowd  of  people  were  assembled  about  a  mile  without 
the  town  ;  so  that  one  of  the  guard,  fearing  a  rescue, 
rode  up  to  the  mayor's  house,  to  demand  aid  and  as- 
sistance. This  being  granted,  the  officers  desired  the 
people  to  disperse,  with  which  tiiey  very  readily  com- 
plied. 

Hooper  was  that  night  lodged  in  the  house  of  one  In- 
gram, where  he  ate  his  supper  with  a  good  appetite, 
and  bltpt  very  quietly,  as  the  guard  declared,  for  they 
continued  in  the  chamber  with  him  all  the  night.  In  the 
morning  he  got  up,  and  having  prayed  most  fervently, 
was  visited  by  sir  Anthony  Kingston,  who  was  one  of 
the  persons  appointed  to  see  him  executed.  When  sir 
Anthony  came  into  the  chamber,  he  found  him  at  his 
prayers,  and  waiting  till  he  had  done,  asked  him  if  he 
did  not  know  him  ?  To  this,  bishop  Hooper  answered, 
that  he  did  know  him,  and  was  glad  to  see  him  in  good 
health.  He  added,  that  he  was  come  there  to  end  his 
life,  and  blessed  God  that  it  was  to  be  in  the  midst  of 
his  diocess.  He  said,  he  loved  life  as  well  as  it  ought  to 
be  loved,  but  he  was  not  to  enjoy  it  at  the  expense  of 
his  future  welfare.  He  was  not  to  blaspheme  his  Saviour 
by  denying  his  name,  through  wlfich  alone  he  looked  for 
salvation  ;  but  trusted,  that  he  should  be  endowed  with 
fortitude  sufficient  to  bear  all  the  torments  his  enemies 
could  inflict  upon  him. 

Sir  Anthony  Kingston  had  profited  much  from  the 
preaching  of  bishop  Hooper  ;  and  taking  his  leave,  told 
him,  with  tears,  that  he  was  extemely  sorry  to  lose  such 
a  worthy  person.  Dr.  Hooper  answered,  that  it  was  his 
duty  to  persevere  in  the  truth,  and  not  to  be  ashamed  of 
the  gospel,  lest  Christ  should  refuse  to  acknowledge  hira 
before  his  father  in  heaven. 

The  same  day,  in  the  afternoon,  a  poor  blind  boy 
came  to  visit  bishop  Hooper ;  and  falling  on  his  knees 
before  him,  said,  "  ah,,  my  lord,  I  am  blind  in  my  eyesj 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  ^35 

but  your  pious  instructions  have  removed  a  spiritual 
blindness  from  my  heart.  May  God  support  you  under 
all  your  sufferings,  and  bring  you,  even  through  flames, 
to  heaven !" 

Several  other  persons  visited  bishop  Hooper,  amongst 
whom  was  a  very  wicked  man,  a  bigotted  papist,  who 
had  known  him  formerly.  This  man  upbraided  him 
with  what  the  papists  call  heresy,  but  he  bore  all  his  in- 
sults with  patience  and  meekness. 

The  time  appointed  for  the  execution  of  this  pious 
bishop  drawing  nigh,  he  was  delivered  to  the  sheriffs  of 
Gloucester,  one  of  whose  names  was  Bind,  and  the  other 
Jenkins,  who,  with  the  mayor  and  aldermen,  repaired 
to  bishop  Hooper's  lodgings,  and  at  the  first  meeting, 
having  saluted  him,  took  him  by  the  hand.  The  re- 
signed martyr  thanked  the  mayor,  ivith  the  rest  of  the 
officers,  for  taking  a  condemned  man  by  the  hand,  and 
for  all  the  friendship  that  had  formerly  subsisted  between 
them,  for  he  had  been  long  acquainted  with.  them.  He 
begged  of  the  sheriffs  that  they  would  make  the  fire  as 
violent  as  possible,  that  his  pains  might  be  of  the  short- 
er duration  ;  adding,  that  he  might  have  had  his  life,  if 
he  chose  it,  but  could  not,  consistent  with  the  duty  he 
owxd  to  God,  and  his  own  conscience.  He  said,  he 
knew  the  bishop  of  Rome  was  antichrist,  and  there- 
fore he  could  not  be  obedient  to  him. 

A  consultation  was  held  by  the  sheriffs,  whether  or  not 
they  should  lodge  him,  the  evening  preceding  his  execu- 
tion, in  the  common  gaol,  over  the  north  gate  of  the 
city  ;  but  the  guards,  who  brought  him  from  London, 
interceded  so  earnestly  in  his  behalf,  that  he  was  per- 
mitted to  remain  in  his  former  lodgings. 

When  bishop  Hooper  arose  in  the  morning,  he  de- 
sired that  no  person  whatever  should  disturb  him  in  Iiis 
devotions,  till  the  officers  came  to  lead  him  to  execu- 
tion. 

About  eight  o'clock,  the  lord  Chandois,  attended  by 
several  other  noblemen  and  gentlemen,  came  to  conduct 
him  to  the  place  of  execution  ;  and  at  nine.  Dr.  Hooper 
was  ready.     Being  brought   down  from   his  chamber. 


^36  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

when  he  saw  the  guards,  he  told  the  sheriffs  that  he  was 
no  traitor,  but  one  who  was  willing  to  die  for  the  truth  ; 
and  that,  if  they  would  have  permitted  him,  he  would 
have  willingly  gone  unguarded  to  the  stake,  without 
troubling  any  officers.  Afterwards,  looking  upon  the 
multitude  of  people  that  were  assembled,  who  were 
above  seven  thousand  in  number,  it  being  the  market 
day,  he  said,  **alas!  why  are  so  many  people  assem- 
bled ?  I  dare  not  speak  to  them  as  formerly." 

He  was  led  forward  between  the  two  sheriffs,  as  a 
lamb  to  the  slaughter,  having  on  a  gown  which  the  man 
of  the  house,  where  he  was  confined,  had  given  him ; 
pnd  being  much  afflicted  with  an  illness  he  had  contract- 
ed in  prison,  he  was  obliged  to  walk  with  a  stick  in  his 
hand.  The  sheriff  having  commanded  him  not  to  speak 
one  word,  he  was  not  seen  to  open  his  mouth,  but  be- 
holding the  people,  who  mourned  bitterly,  he  some- 
times lifted  up  his  eyes  towards  heaven,  and  looked 
cheerfully  on  such  as  he  knew  ;  and,  indeed,  his  counte- 
nance was  more  cheerful  than  it  had  been  for  a  long  time 
before. 

When  he  was  brought  to  the  stake,  he  embraced  it, 
and  looked  with  cheerfulness  at  a  place  where  be  used 
formerly  to  preach.  He  then  kneeled  down  to  pray,  and 
beckoned  several  times  to  one  whom  he  knew,  to  come 
pear  him,  that  he  might  give  an  account  of  what  he  said, 
after  his  death,  as  he  was  not  permitted  to  speak  aloud. 
When  he  had  been  some  time  at  prayer,  a  pardon  was 
^Drought,  and  laid  down  before  him,  on  condition  he 
would  recant  his  opinions  ;  but  neither  promises  of  par- 
don, nor  the  threatenings  of  punishment,  could  have  any 
effect  on  him  ;  so  immovable  was  he  in  the  faith,  and  so 
well  established  in  the  principles  of  the  gospel. 

Prayers  being  ended,  he  prepared  himself  for  the  stake, 
by  taking  off  his  landlord's  gown,  which  he  delivered  to 
the  sheriffs,  requesting  them  to  see  it  restored  to  the 
pwner.  He  then  took  off  the  rest  of  his  clothes,  except 
his  doublet  and  hose,  in  which  he  designed  to  be  burned; 
but  the  sheriffs  not  permitting  that,  he  patiently  submit. 
\£d.     After  this,  a  pound  of  gunpowder  was  placed  be- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  237 

tween  his  legs,  and  the  same  quantity  under  each  arm. 
Three  chains  were  then  fixed  round  him,  one  to  his  neck, 
another  to  his  middle,  and  a  third  to  his  legs  ;  and  with 
these,  he  was  fastened  to  the  stake. 

This  being  done,  fire  was  put  to  the  fagots ;  but  they 
being  green,  he  suffered  inexpressible  torment.  Soon  af- 
ter this,  another  load  of  dry  fagots  was  brought,  but  still 
the  wind  blew  away  the  flames  ;  so  that  he  begged  for 
more,  that  he  might  be  put  out  of  his  misery. 

At  length,  the  fire  took  effect,  and  the  martyr  expired 
triumphantly,  after  such  a  fiery  trial  as  almost  exceeds 
any  thing  we  meet^with  in  the  primitive  ages.  His  last 
words  Avere,  "  Lord  Jesus,  have  mercy  upon  me  ;  ena- 
ble mc  to  bear  my  suffering  for  thy  name  sake,  and  re- 
ceive my  spirit." 

Such  was  the  end  of  the  temporal  life  ;  and  such  was 
the  passage  into  glory,  of  the  pious  John  Hooper,  some 
time  bishop  of  Gloucester,  and  a  most  illustrious  re- 
former ! 


The  martyrdom  of  Dr.  Rowland  Taylor. 


Dr.  Row^land  Taylor  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Hadley,  which  was  one  of  the  first  places  in  England  that 
received  the  gospel.  Here  it  was,  that  Dr.  Taylor,  who 
was,  in  many  respects,  a  very  learned  man,  preached  con- 
stantly to  the  people  during  the  reign  of  king  Edward. 
Archbishop  Cranmer,  who  was  a  good  judge  of  merit, 
and  loved  to  reward  it  in  learned  men  ,  took  him  into  his 
family,  and  presented  him  to  this  living.  Here  he  be- 
haved as  a  most  excellent  preacher,  and  a  faithful  pastor. 
He  made  himself  acquainted  with  every  individual  in  his 
parish  ;  and  he  taught  them  like  the  apostles  and  primi- 
tive christians,  who  went  from  house  to  house. 

His  preaching  was  not  all :  his  life  was  one  continued 
comment  on  his  doctrine  :  it  was  a  life  of  holiness.  He 
studied  noticing  so  much  as  doing  good  :  he  was  a  stran- 
ger to  pride  ;  and  it  might  justly  be  said  of  him,  that  he 


238  PERSECUTED    SY    THE    PAPISTS. 

was  clothed  with  humility.  While  he  rebuked  sinners 
for  their  enormities,  he  was  ready  to  relieve  all  their  wants. 
This  was  a  godlike  disposition,  and  a  mark  of  the  true 
character  of  a  real  christian. 

In  the  course  of  his  ministerial  labours,  he  often  met 
with  opposition,  and  even  with  abuse  ;  but  he  attended 
to  the  old  maxim  laid  down  by  the  apostle,  that  we  nmst 
go  through  evil,  as  well  as  through  good  report.  He 
^yas  a  married  man,  but  never  sat  down  to  dinner  with 
his  family,  without  first  inquiring  whether  the  poor 
wanted  any  thing.  To  those  who  were  distressed,  he  gave 
relief  before  he  eat  any  thing  himsojf.  He  familiarized 
himself  with  all  ranks  of  men,  in  order  that  he  might, 
at  least,  gain  them  to  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  the 
truth.  To  his  wife,  he  was  an  indulgent,  tender,  affec- 
tionate husband  ;  and  he  brought  up  his  children  in  the 
fear  of  God,  well  knowing,  that  the  laying  of  a  good 
foundation,  is  the  only  way  to  have  a  beautiful  super- 
structure. 

In  tl]is  heavenly  manner.  Dr.  Taylor  continued  to  dis- 
charge his  duty  at  Hadley,  as  long  as  king  Edward  lived; 
but  no  sooner  was  this  pious  monarch  dead,  than  things 
took  a  different  turn. 

And  here  it  is  necessary  to  observe,  that  let  a  man  be 
-ever  so  pious  ;  let  him  be  ever  so  saithful  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duty,  yet  he  will  find  many  enemies  in  this  world. 
This  was  the  casej  with  Dr.  Taylor.  In  his  parish, 
notwithstanding  all  his  endeavours  to  suppress  popery, 
yet  some  papists  remained  ;  and  it  is  well  known,  that  po- 
pery and  the  protestant  religion  can  no  more  agree  togeth- 
er than  light  and  darkness. 

Two  persons  in  his  parish,  one  named  Clarke,  and  the 
other  Foster,  hired  a  Romish  priest  to  come  to  Hadley 
to  say  mass.  For  this  purpose  ,  they  ordered  an  altar  to 
be  built  up  with  all  convenient  speed,  and  appointed  that 
mass  should  be  said  on  the  day  called  Palm  Sunday. 
But  the  people  met  together  in  the  evening,  and  beat  the 
altar  in  pieces  r  however,  it  was  built  up  again,  and  a 
watch  was  appointed,  lest  it  should  be  demolished  a  sec- 
ond time. 


PERSECUTED  BY  THE  PAPISTS.        259 

The  day  following,  Clarke  and  Foster  came,  bringing 
along  with  them  their  popish  priest,  who  was  to  perform 
the  service  of  the  mass.  The  priest  was  dresscu  in  all 
his  robes  for  that  purpose,  and  had  a  guard  with  him,  iest 
he  should  be  interrupted  by  the  populace. 

When  Dr.  Taylor  heard  the  bells  ring,  he  went  into  the 
house  of  worship  to  know  the  reason,  according  to  the 
duty  of  his  station,  but  found  the  doors  of  the  chancel  bar- 
red agamst  him.  However,  getting  within  the  chancel,  he 
saw  the  popish  priest  at  the  altar,  attended  by  a  great  num- 
ber of  people,  with  their  swords  drawn.  The  doctor  accus- 
ed the  priest  of  idolatry,  but  the  priest  retorted  upon  him, 
and  called  him  traitor,  for  disobeying  the  queen's  procla- 
mation. Dr.  Taylor  said  he  was  no  traitor,  but  a  minis- 
ter of  the  gospel,  commanded  to  teach  the  people;  and  then 
ordered  the  popish  priest  to  retire,  as  one  who  came  in 
there  to  poison  the  flock  of  Christ  with  his  most  abomina- 
ble doctrines.  Foster,  who  had  a  share  in  this  business, 
called  Dr.  Taylor  a  traitor,  and  violently  dragged  him 
outof  the  church  ;  while  his  wife,  on  her  knees,  begged 
that  God  would  vindicate  his  innocence,  and  avenge  the 
injuries  he  liad  so  wrongfully  received,  which  was  Vv-hat 
he  had  not  deserved,  because  he  had  not  done  more  than 
his  duty. 

The  next  thing  done  by  Foster  and  Clarke,  was  to  ex- 
hibit a  charge  of  heresy  against  Dr.  Taylor,  to  Gardner 
the  chancellor.  The  chancellor  sent  a  messenger,  com- 
manding Dr.  Taylor  to  appear  before  him,  in  order  to 
answer  to  the  charge  that  had  been  exhibited. 

When  Dr.  Taylor's  friends  heard  of  this,  they  were 
much  grieved  ;  and  suspecting  what  was  likely  to  hap- 
pen, as  law  and  justice  were  both  trodden  under  foot,  de- 
sired him  to  go  abroad  to  save  his  life.  But  this  he 
would  by  no  means  comply  with  ;  for  he  said,  that  it  was 
more  honourable  to  suffer  for  the  cause  of  God,  than  to 
flee  from  the  wrath  of  wicked  men.  ''God  (said  he) 
will  protect  me  from  sufferings,  or  he  will  enable  me  to 
bear  them."  He  added,  "  that  he  knew  his  dying  for 
truth  would  be  of  more  service  to  Christ,  than  his  flyings 
away  from  the  malice  of  his  persecutors." 


240  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

When  his  friends  saw  that  nothing  could  prevail  upon 
him,  they  took  farewell  of  him  with  tears  ;  after  which, 
he  set  out  for  London  accompanied  by  a  servant,  named 
John  Hull,  who  had  been  a  considerable  time  in  his  fami- 
ly. This  faithful  servant  advised  him  to  make  his  es- 
cape, but  all  to  no  purpose  ;  for  he  said,  that  the  good 
shepherd  should  never  leave  his  sheep,  till  he  was  torn 
from  them  by  force.  In  the  same  heavenly  manner,  he 
exhorted  John  to  be  constant,  in  the  profession  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  not  to  return  again  to  popery.  He  said,  that 
worldly  wisdom  was  apt  to  take  too  deep  a  root  in  our 
hearts,  and  that  it  was,  therefore,  our  duty  to  do  all  we 
could  to  triumph  over  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil ; 
to  be  constant  in  our  attachment  to  the  truth;  to  keep 
in  view  the  great  glories  of  eternity  ;  to  consider  the  vast 
difference  between  temporal  and  spiritual  things ;  to 
trample,  as  it  were,  on  the  earth,  while  we  keep,  heaven 
in  our  eye  ;  to  fear  God  more  than  men  ;  to  prefer  suf- 
ferings, in  this  world  to  all  temporary  enjoyments ;  to 
believe  that  God  will  sweeten  all  our  sufferings,  by  the 
influences  of  his  holy  spirit ;  to  think  nothing  too  hard 
to  endure,  so  that  we  can  but  obtain  a  blessed  immortal- 
ity ;  and,  with  a  christian  courage,  to  trample  on  death, 
and  triumph  over  the  grave. 

When  Dr.  Taylor  was  brought  before  the  chancellor 
Gardner,  that  j)relate  .reviled  him  in  the  most  shocking 
manner,  calling  him  a  traitor  and  a  heretic  ;  all  which,  the 
pious  martyr  patiently  submitted  to.  In  the  opinion  of 
Gardner,  he  might  have  been  an  heretic  ;  but,  according 
to  law,  he  could  not  have  been  a  traitor;  for  the  statute 
of  high  treason,  and  the  statute  of  heresy,  enforced  differ- 
ent punishments  :  for  the  one,  the  offending  party  was  to 
be  hanged  and  quartered  ;  for  the  other  he  was  to  be 
burned  alive.  Had  queen  Mary  proceeded  against  this 
man,  and  many  others,  on  the  statute  of  high  treason, 
thfey  must  have  been  acquitted,  as  the  trial  would  have 
bten  conducted  according  to  the  principles  of  common 
law.  But  this  was  what  she  had  no  intention  to  do  :  her 
design  was  to  gratify  the  clergy,  and  have  ail  those  v/ho 
opposed  their  sentiments,  executed  upon  their  infamous 
statute. 


PERSECUTED    fiY    THE     PAPISTS.  241 

Dr.  Taylor  answered  the  chancellor's  questions  with  a 
becoming  firmness  :  he  accused^him  of  being  the  persecu- 
tor of  God's  people,  and  asserted  that  he  himself  had  ad- 
hered to  our  Saviour  and  his  words.  He  put  bishop  Gardner 
in  mind  of  the  oath  he  had  taken  in  the  beginning  of  king 
Edward's  reign,  to  maintain  the  protestant  religion,  and 
oppose  the  papal  supremacy  ;  but  Gardner  answered, 
that  the  oath  had  been  extorted,  so  that  he  was  not 
obliged  to  abide  by  it. 

Dr.  Taylor  explained  to  the  Bishop  the  nature  of  an 
oath,  and  told  h.im,  that  as  he  had  not  been  forced  to  take 
one  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  conscience,  so  he  was  ei- 
ther prejudiced  in  v/hut  he  did,  or  what  was  still  worse^ 
he  trifled  with  a  sacred  obligation  ;  that  no  man  whatever 
could  dispense  with  an  oath,  unless  he  knew  it  was  his 
duty  to  do  so,  in  consequence  of  its  having  been  imposed 
on  him  by  violence. 

Gardner  who  was  self- convicted,  turned  the  subject  to 
the  disputed  points  concerning  the  real  presence,  and 
some  other  things  in  popery. 

With  respect  to  the  real  presence  in  the  sacrament,  Dr. 
Taylor  told  him,  that  it  had  no  foundation  in  scripture, 
but  had  been  first  taught  about  the  tenth  century.  He 
quoted  the  book  of  Bertram,  which  was  written  about  that 
time,  wherein  the  real  presence  was  denied,  and  transub- 
stantiation  considered  as  no  better  than  a  novel  doctrine. 
He  made  it  appear,  that  Christ  only  commanded  his  fol- 
lowers to  keep  the  feast  of  the  eucharist,  in  remembrance 
of  his  last  supper  with  them.  That  as  Christ  broke 
bread,  and  drank  wine  with  his  disciples  in  a  friendly 
manner,  before  he  was  dragged  to  prison,  to  judgment, 
and  to  execution,  consequently,  his  followers  should  ob- 
serve it  as  a  feast  of  unity  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

Dr.  Taylor,  after  being  interrogated  by  the  chancel- 
lor for  a  considerable  time,  was  at  length  committed  to 
prison. 

Bigotry  has  no  feeling.  Persecution  knows  no 
end.  While  he  was  in  prison,  he  spent  tlie  greatest  part 
of  his  time  in  prayer,  in  reading  the  sacred  scriptures, 
and  in  exhorting  the  poor  prisoners,  confmed  with  him, 

2  I 


f242  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

to  a  sense  of  their  duty.  The  prison  in  which  Dr.  Tay- 
lor was  confined,  was  that  commonly  called  the  king's 
Bench  ;  and  there  he  met  with  that  holy  and  pious  man 
Bradford,  *a  hose  affinity  in  rehgious  sentiments  contribut- 
ed to  mitigate  his  sufferings.  If  two  virtuous  or  pious 
persons  are  of  the  same  opinion,  and  under  the  same  cir- 
cumstances, they  generally  feel  for  each  other.  Ti  js 
was  the  case  with  Dr.  Taylor  and  Bradford;  for,  no  soon- 
er did  they  meet  each  other  in  prison,  than  they  blessed 
God  who  had  brought  them  together,  to  suffer  for  the 
truth  of  the  gospel. 

After  Dr.  Taylor  had  lain  a  considerable  time  in  prison, 
he  was  cited  to  appear  at  Bow- church,  in  Cheapside,  to 
answer  to  the  dean  of  the  arches,  why  he  had  married  a 
wife.  To  cite  a  prisoner  to  appear  before  a  judge,  is  on- 
ly a  piece  of  solemn  mockery,  and  such  as  is  practised  by 
the  Spanish  inquisition.  But  the  popish  clergy  seem  to 
be  wholly  directed  by  hypocrisy. 

When  he  was  brought  before  the  dean  of  the  arches, 
he  defended  marriage  in  such  a  masterly  manner,  that  the 
dean  would  not  venture  to  pronounce  a  divorce,  but  on- 
ly deprived  him  of  his  benefice.  He  was  then  remanded 
to  prison,  and  kept  there  above  a  year  and  a  half ;  when 
he  and  several  others  were  brought  to  be  examined  be- 
fore the  chancellor. 

Gardner  asked  him,  whether  he  adhered  to  the  form  of 
religion,  as  estabUshed  by  king  Edward  VI  ?  Whether 
he  approved  of  the  English  book  of  common  prayer  ? 
Whether  he  was  married  ?  and  many  other  questions.  To 
all  these.  Dr.  Taylor  gave  clear  and  satisfactory  answers, 
justifying  his  conduct ;  but  these  were  not  sufficient,  see- 
ing his  death  was  resolved  on. 

Concerning  marriage.  Dr.  Taylor  proved,  not  only 
from  the  sacred  scriptures,  but  likewise  from  the  primi- 
tive writers,  that  the  clergy  were  not  prohibited  from  it. 
As  he  was  a  learned  civilian,  and  a  canonist,  he  proved 
from  the  Justinian  institutions,  that  all  oaths  of  celibacy 
were  then  condemned,  and  the  priests  were  exhorted  to 
many.  Nay,  so  strict  was  the  emperor  in  this  partic- 
ular, that  if  a  man  made  over  a  legacy  to  his  wife,  on 


PERSECtrXED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  243 

condition  of  her  not  marrying  again,  the  will  was  to  be 
void. 

He  added  further,  that  it  was  contained  in  the  pandects, 
that  if  a  man  had  a  woman  a  slave,  and  made  her  free  on 
condition  she  should  never  marry,  yet  she  might  marry, 
and  her  former  master  should  not  be  permitted  to  reclaim 
her.  It  was  the  more  necessary  to  quote  the  pandects,  be- 
cause they  were  written  in  tlie  sixth  century;  and  altiiough 
many  abuses  had  then  crept  into  the  church,  yet  celibacy 
was  not  in  the  number. 

The  next  time,  he  was  brought  before  the  chancellor, 
was  in  company  with  L.  Saunders,  already  mentioned,  and 
Bradford,  whom  we  shall  take  notice  of  afterwards.  Dr. 
Taylor  was  charged  with  heresy  by  the  chancellor,  and 
the  other  bishops  who  were  present.  He  acknowledged, 
that  he  abhorred  all  the  popish  doctrines  of  the  church 
of  Rome  ;  that  the  pope  was  antichrist ;  that  to  deny  the 
clergy  the  privilege  of  marriage,  was  the  doctrine  of  devils. 
That  there  were  but  two  sacraments  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment ;  that  the  mass  was  idolatry,  the  body  of  Christ  be- 
ing in  heaven  ;  and  last  of  all,  that  he  would  abide  by 
these  sentiments  to  the  last,  being  convinced  that  they 
were  consistent  with  the  doctrines  laid  down  by  Christ 
and  his  apostles. 

One  may  easily  imagine  what  would  be  the  conse- 
quences of  such  a  free  and  open  declaration,  A  papist 
could  not  bear  to  hear  his  favourite  notions  thus  called 
in  question,  and  even  condemned  as  idolatry  ;  especially 
as  it  was  the  queen's  religion,  and  the  chancellor  was  her 
favourite. 

The  cliancellor  then  pronounced  sentence  on  him,  and 
he  vvas  taken  to  a  prison  in  Southwark,  called  the  Clink, 
where  he  remained  till  night,  and  was  then  sent  to  tiie 
Compter  in  the  Poultry.  Here  he  remained  seven  days; 
when  Bonner,  bishop  of  London,  with  others,  came  to 
the  said  Compter  to  degrade  him,  bringing  with  thera 
the  popish  habits.^ 

*  Superstition  had  been  brou^^ht  to  snch  a  hei^lit,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  I. 
that  tlie  cleri^y  j^ot  tliemselves  exempted  from  corporal  punishments;  buthit 
grandson  Henry  II,  in  th^    oonstitulions  of  Clarendon,  {jot  it  ordaujed,  that 


244  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

In  the  execution  of  this  ceremony,  though  of  a  very 
serious  nature,  Dr.  Taylor  turned  one  part  of  it  to  ridic- 
ulous contempt.  T'  e  bishop  commanded  him  to  put  on 
the  vcbtments,  but  this  he  refused.  Bonner  then  ordered 
his  servants  to  force  them  on  him  ;  and  when  they  had 
dressed  him,  he  walked  about  the  room,  with  his  hands 
by  his  sides,  saying,  ''  look  at  me,  my  lord,  am  not  I  like 
a  very  pretty  fool  ?"  and  speaking  to  the  other  priests 
who  were  present,  he  said,  '^  what  say  you,  my  masters, 
supposing  I  was  to  walk  into  Cheapside  with  all  this 
trumpery,  would  not  the  boys  laugh  at  me  ?" 

The  last  part  of  the  ceremony  of  degradation,  is  for  the 
bisho])  to  strike  the  person  degraded  on  the  breast ;  but 
Bonner's  chaploin  advised  him  not  to  strike  Dr.  Taylor, 
£jv  he  would  surely  strike  again. 

I'he  bishop  therefore  contented  himself  with  pronounc- 
ing a  curse  upon  Dr.  Taylor  ;  to  wiiich.  the  doctor  an- 
swered, you  may  curse  as  long  as  you  please,  but  I  am 
confident  God  will  support  me.  I  have  the  witness  of  a 
good  conscience,  that  I  am  standing  in  defence  of  the 
truth ;  whereas  you  dare  not  say  that  you  are  doing  so, 
but  I  will  pray  for  you. 

When  he  was  brought  up  to  his  chamber,  he  told  Brad- 
ford, that  he  had  made  the  bishop  of  London  afraid;  "•  for 
(said  he  )  his  chaplain  advised  him  not  to  strike  me,  lest 
i  should  strike  him  again,  which  I  made  him  believe  I 
would,  although  I  never  intended  to  do  so.'* 

To  strike  an  enemy  is  strictly  forbidden  in  the  gospel ; 
but  had  even  Dr.  Taylor  been  so  unguarded  as  to 
strike  the  bishop,  it  could  only  have  been  imputed  to  the 
ignorance  which  at  that  time  prevailed,  even  over  the 
yninds  of  pious  men. 

The  night  after  he  was  degraded,  his  wife,  with  his  son 
Thomas,  came  to  see  him  ;  and  such  was  the  good  na- 
ture of  the  keeper,  that  he  permitted  them  to  go  into  his 
apartment  to  sup  with  him.  Thus  he  found  a  great  differ- 
ence between  the  keeper  of  the  bishop's  prison,  and  the 

the  clergy  should  suffer  the  sair.e  punishments  as  the  laity;  and,  therefore,  the 
elergy,  that  it  mi,e:ht  not  be  said  that  a  priest  suiTcred  death,  always  degraded 
ki^i  before  execution. 


PERSECUTED     BY    THE    PAPISTS.  245 

keeper  of  the  Compter.  The  bishop's  keepers  were  ever 
cruel,  blasphemous,  and  tyramiical,  like  their  master;  but 
the  keepers  of  the  king's  prisons,  for  the  most  part,  shewed 
as  much  favour  as  could  be  granted,  to  those  whom  they 
had  in  custody.  John  Hull,  the  servant,  came  with  the  wife 
and  son  of  Dr.  Taylor  ;  and,  at  their  first  coming  in,  they 
all  kneeled  down  and  prayed. 

After  supper,  the  doctor  walked  two  or  three  times  across 
the  f  oom,  blessing  God  that  he  had  singled  him  out  to  bear 
witness  to  the  truth,  as  it  is  in  Jesus  ;  that  he  had  thought 
him  worthy  to  suffer  for  his  name  sake  ;  and,  turning  to  his 
son,  he  said,  "  my  dear  son,  God  Ahnighdy  bless  you,  and 
give  his  holy  spirit,  to  be  a  true  servant  of  Christ ;  to  hear 
his  word,  and  constantly  to  stand  by  the  truth  all  thy  life 
long :  and,  my  son,  see  that  thou  fear  God  always  :  flee 
from  all  sin  and  wicked  living  :  be  virtuous  :  attend  close- 
ly to  your  book,  and  pray  to  God  sincerely.  In  all  things 
that  are  lawful,  see  that  thou  be  obedient  to  thy  mother  : 
love  her  and  serve  her  :  be  ruled  and  directed  by  her  now 
in  thy  youth,  and  follow  her  good  counsel  in  all  things.  Be- 
ware of  lewd  company,  of  young  men  that  fear  not  God, 
but  indulge  their  vain  appetites  and  lusts.  Fly  from 
whoredom,  and  abhor  all  filthy  living  ;  remembering  that 
I,  thy  father,  am  to  die  in  defence  of  holy  marriage.  An- 
other day,  when  God  shall  bless  thee,  love  and  cherish  the 
poor  people,  and  count  that  thy  chief  riches  is  to  be  rich  in 
alms ;  and  when  thy  mother  is  far  advanced  in  years,  for- 
sake her  not,  but  provide  for  her  according  to  her  abilities, 
and  see  that  she  want  for  nothing.  And  God  will  bless 
thee,  and  give  thee  long  life  upon  earth,  and  prosperity  ;  for 
which  now,  upon  my  knees,  I  pray  thi'ough  the  merits  of 
Jesus  Christ." 

Then  turning  to  his  wife,  he  said,  "  my  dear  wife,  con- 
tinue steadfast  in  the  faith,  fear,  and  love  of  God.  Keep 
yourself  undelilcd  from  popish  idolatries  and  superstition. 
I  have  been  unto  you  a  faithful  yoke-fellow,  and  so  have 
you  been  unto  me  ;  for  the  w^hich,  I  pray  God  to  re^vard 
you,  and  doubt  not,  my  dear,  but  he  will  reuTrd  you. 
Nowahe  time  is  come,  that  I  shall  be  taken  from  you,  and 
you  discharged  of  the  w  edlock  bond  towards  me  :  tlaere- 


246^  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

fore,  I  will  give  you  my  counsel,  that  I  think  most  expedi- 
ent for  you.  You  ai'e  yet  a  child-bearing  woman  ;  and, 
therefore,  it  will  be  most  convenient  for  you  to  marry ; 
for,  doubtless,  you  will  not  of  yourself  be  able  to  support 
our  dear  children,  nor  be  out  of  trouble,  till  you  be  mar- 
ried. Therefore,  as  soon  as  providence  shall  point  out 
some  pious,  honest  man,  who,  you  think,  will  support 
the  poor  children,  be  sure  to  marry  him,  and  live  in 
the  fear  of  God ;  but,  by  all  means,  avoid  idolatry  and  su- 
perstition," 

Having  said  these  words,  he  fell  down  and  prayed  for 
his  family  ;  ar.d  then  he  gave  his  wife  an  English  prayer 
book,  as  set  forth  by  king  Edward  VI.  and  to  his  son 
Thomas,  he  gave  a  Latin  book,  containing  a  collection 
of  sentiments  from  the  writings  of  the  primitive  fathers, 
relating  to  the  courage  and  constancy  of  the  ancient  mar- 
tyrs. 

The  next  morning,  which  was  the  fifth  day  of  the  month 
called  February,  the  sheriff  of  London,  attended  by  his  of- 
ficers, came  to  the  Compter,  and  took  Dr.  Taylor  to  the 
Woolpack,  near  Aldgate  ;  and  this  was  only  two  in  the 
morning.  His  wife,  having  some  suspicion  that  he  was  to 
be  taken  out  that  morning,  waited  all  night  in  the  church  of 
St.  Botolph,  near  Aldgate,  having  with  her  a  poor  orphan 
girl,  whom  the  doctor  had  brought  up,  and  one  of  her  own 
children.  When  the  sheriff  and  his  company  came  oppo- 
site Botolph  church,  the  oi'phan  girl  cried  out,  "  O,  my 
dear  father  ;  mother,  mother,  here  is  my  father  led  out." 
Then  Taylor's  wife  cried  out,  "  Rowland  1  Rowland  ! 
where  art  thou  ?"  for,  the  morning  was  extremely  dark. 
To  this,  Dr.  Taylor  answered,  "  here  I  am,  but  I  am  con- 
fined." The  sheriff's  officers  wanted  to  hurry  him  away  ; 
but  the  sheriff  who  had  more  humanity,  ordered  them  to  let 
him  speak  to  his  wife. 

She  then  came  to  him,  when  taking  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ter, with  the  orphan  girl,  by  the  hands,  he  kneeled  down, 
and  prayed  with  them  ;  which,  when  the  sheriff,  and  the 
otier  people  present  saw,  they  shed  tears.  Prayers  be- 
ma:  over,  he  rose  up,  and  taking  his  wife  by  the  hand, 
bade  her  have  comfort,  for  he  had  a  clear  conscience. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  247 

**  God,''  said  he,  "  will  provide  a  father  for  my  children, 
but  let  them  be  steadfast  in  the  faith."  To  which,  his  wi«c 
answered,  "  God  be  with  you,  my  dear  Rowland,  and  I 
will,  with  his  grace,  meet  you  at  Hadley.'* 

He  was  then  put  into  a  chamber,  with  four  of  the  yeo- 
men of  the  guard,  and  the  sheriff  ^s  officers.  As  soon  as  he 
entered|ithe  chamber,  he  fell  down,  and  gave  himself 
wholly  up  to  prayer.  There  the  sheriff  seeing  his  wife, 
told  her,  that  she  must  not  speak  to  her  husband;  but  that 
she  might  go  to  his  house,  and  he  would  provide  her, 
so  as  she  should  not  want  for  any  thing.  To  this,  s.ic 
answered,  that  she  would  rather  go  to  her  mother's  house, 
and  two  officers  were  sent  to  conduct  her  thither. 

This  part  of  the  sheriff's  conduct  seems  to  have  arisen 
from  principles  of  humanity  ;  for,  what  man  can  see  a  wife 
and  children  weeping  beside  a  father  and  husband,  con- 
demned for  a  disputable  offence,  without  shedding  a  tear 
of  compassion  ? 

Dr.  Taylor  remained  at  the  Woolpack  till  eleven  in  the 
forenoon,  when  the  sheriff  of  Essex  came  to  receive  him, 
and  they  prepared  to  set  out  on  horseback.  As  they  came 
out  of  the  inn,  John  Hull,  his  old  servant,  whom  we  have 
mentioned  before,  was  there  waiting,  having  with  him 
Dr.  Taylor's  son  Thomas.  John  lifted  up  the  boy  that 
he  might  see  his  father,  and  then  set  him  on  the  horse 
before  him.  Dr.  Taylor  taking  off  his  hat,  said,  *^  good 
people,  this  is  my  son,  begotten  in  lawful  wedlock,  and  I 
bless  God  for  lawful  matrimony."  He  tlien  lifted  up  his 
eyes  towards  heaven,  and  prayed  for  his  son  ;  laid  his 
hat  upon  the  boy's  head,  and  blessed  him.  After  this, 
he  delivered  him  to  John  Hull,  whom  he  shook  by  the 
liand,  and  said,  *'  thou  hast  been  the  faithfulest  servant  I 
ever  had." 

The  procession  then  set  out  on  the  Essex  road,  but 
when  they  came  near  Brentwood,  one  Arthur  Taisie, 
who  had  been  formerly  a  servant  with  Dr.  Taylor,  not 
knowing  he  had  been  condemned,  came  up  and  shook 
hands  with  him,  for  he  thought  he  had  been  at  liberty. 
TiiC  sheriff  told  him,  that  he  ws^s  not,  but  that  he  was  his 
prisoner. 


248  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

When  they  arrived  at  Brentwood,  they  made  a  close 
hood  for  Dr.  Taylor,  having  two  holes  for  his  eyes,  and 
one  for  his  mouth,  to  breathe  at.  They  did  this,  that  no 
man  might  know  him,  or  speak  to  him  ;  which  practice 
they  frequently  used  with  otliers. 

AH  the  way.  Dr.  Taylor  was  as  joyful  as  if  he  had  been 
going  to  take  the  possession  of  an  estate  ;  and,  indeed, 
how  could  it  be  odierwise  ?  He  knew  he  was  suffering 
for  the  faith,  and  that  the  truth  was  able  to  support  :  im. 

At  Chelmsford,  they  were  met  by  the  sheriff  of  Suffolk, 
who  was  to  take  him  into  that  county  to  be  executed. 
While  they  were  at'supper,  the  sheriff  of  Essex  laboured 
earnestly  with  him  to  return  to  the  popish  religion.  He 
told  him,  **  that  as  he  was  a  man  of  univerml  learning, 
so  his  death  would  be  a  great  loss  to  the  nation."  The 
sheriff,  whatever  his  own  opinions  were,  said  a  great  deal 
to  Dr.  Taylor  ;  and  flUling  before  him  on  his  knees, 
with  tears  running  down  his  cheeks,  earnestly  beg- 
ged of  him  to  recant  his  opinions,  and  be  reconciled  to 
the  church,  promising  that  he,  and  all  his  friends  would 
procure  his  pardon.  But  his  reply  shewed  that  he  was 
steadfast  and  immoveable. 

llie  sheriff,  and  his  companions,  that  heard  him, 
were  amazed  at  his  constancy  ;  for  the  nearer  his  suffer- 
ings approached,  the  more  he  was  strengthened  to  endure 
them. 

When  he  came  within  two  miles  of  Hadley,  he  desired 
to  alight  from  his  horse  ;  which  done,  he  leaped  two  or 
three  times,  as  men  do  at  country  scenes  of  diversion. 
The  sheriff  being  surprised,  asked  him,  what  he  meant  by 
acting  in  that  manner  ?  His  answer  was,  '^  good  Mr. 
Sheriff,  I  am  almost  at  home."  When  lie  was  arrived  at 
A^ldham  Common,  the  place  where  he  was  to  be  burnt, 
he  lifted  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  thanked  God  that  the 
last  struggle  was  come,  and  he  hoped  he  should  be  ena- 
bled to  go  through  with  it. 

He  tore  the  hood  from  his  face,  that  he  might  be  seen 
]}y  the  numerous  spectators,  many  of  whom  iiad  for- 
merly been  his  parishioners.  He  then  began  to  speak  to 
the  people  whg  were  praying  for  him ;  but  the  officers 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  249 

thrust  sticks   into  his  mouth,  and  threatened  to  cut  his 
tongue  out,  unless  he  would  promise  to  keep  silence. 

When  he  had  prayed,  he  kissed  the  stake,  and  set 
himself  hito  a  barrel  filled  with  pitch,  whiclv  had  been 
placed  for  that  purpose.  Fire  being  set  to  the  pitch,  Dr. 
Taylor  continued  praying  in  the  most  devout  manner, 
till  one  of  the  officers,  more  humane  than  the  rest, 
knocked  out  his  brains  with  a  halbert ;  which  put  an  end 
to  his  misery. 

Dr.  Taylor  was  not  only  a  pious  man,  but  he  had  been, 
for  his  knowledge  of  the  canon  and  civil  laws,  long  es- 
teemed as  the  glory  of  Cambridge.  He  had,  from  his 
distinguishedabilities,  confuted  the  chancellor  in  his  argu- 
ments coicerning  the  marriage  of  the  clergy  ;  and,  in- 
deed, in  all  other  respects,  he  was  so  w^eli  acquainted 
with  the  ancient  fathers,  that  he  was,  with  great  pro- 
priety called,  "  The  Walking  Library."  But  no  mer- 
cy is  shewn,  where  religious  rancour  takes  place. 
There  is  sometiiing  in  all  such  persecutions,  that  shuts 
up  the  bowels  of  compassion,  even  towards  the  near- 
est relations.  Civil  persecutors  may  have  some  com- 
passion, but  those  who  persecute  from  erroneous  no- 
tions of  religion,  arc  generally  strangers  to  every  tender 
sensation. 

The  Marttjrdom  of  Thomas  Tomk'ms. 

This  person  was  by  trade  a  weaver,  and  lived  with 
great  reputation,  in  the  parish  of  St.  Leonard,  Shore- 
ditch.  Being  accused  of  heresy,  he  was  summoned 
before  diat  merciless  persecutor,  bishop  Bonner,  who 
confined  him,  with  many  others,  in  his  palace  at  Ful- 
ham. 

During  his  imprisonment,  he  was  treated  by  the  bish- 
op in  a  manner  not  only  unbecoming  a  prelate,  but  a 
man.  He  several  times  beat  him  with  a  distinguished 
cruelty,  and  tore  the  greatest  part  of  his  beard  Irom  his 
face,  for  no  other  reason,  but  hjs  not  assenting  to  the 
doctrine  of  transubstantiation. 

2   K 


250  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Another  instance  of  this  cruel  bishop's  inhumanity  te 
Tomkins,  was  exhibited  before  several  persons  who 
came  to  visit  him.  The  bishop  finding  him  inflexible, 
took  hold  of  him  by  the  wrist,  and  held  his  hand  over 
the  flame  of  a  wax  candle,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  make 
him  deviate  from  those  uncorrupted  truths  of  the  gospel 
he  had  so  strongly  preserved.  This  punisnment  Tom- 
kins  submitted  to,  with  great  fortitude,  till  the  veins 
burst ;  and  water  issuing  from  the  hand,  flew  into  the 
face  of  a  by-stander,  who  was  so  affected,  that  he  re- 
quested the  bishop  to  forbear,  saying,  he  had  sufficiently 
punished  the  prisoner. 

A  few  days  after  this,  Tomkins  was  brought  before 
the  bishop,  at  his  consistory  court  at  St.  Paul's,  to  whom 
he  delivered  the  following  articles  of  confession  in  wri- 
ting, sealed  up,  and  signed  with  his  own  hand. 

"  I  Thomas  Tomkins,  of  the  parish  of  St.  Leonard, 
Shoreditch,  in  the  diocess  of  London,  having  confess- 
ed, and  declared  openly,  heretofore,  to  Edmund  Bon- 
ner, bishop  of  London,  mine  ordinary,  that  my  belief 
jiath  been,  many  years  past,  and  is  at  this  present,  that 
the  body  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  is  not  truly,  and  in 
very  deed,  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  but  only  in 
heaven  ;  and  so  in  heaven,  that  it  cannot  now  indeed  be 
really  and  truly  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar." 

''  And  moreover,  having  likewise  confessed  and  de- 
clared to  my  said  ordinary  openly  many  times,  that  al- 
though the  church,  called  the  Catholic  church,  hath  al- 
lowed, and  doth  allow  the  mass  and  sacrifice  made  and 
done  therein,  as  a  wholesome,  profitable,  and  godly 
thing  ;  yet  my  belief  hath  been  many  years  past,  and  is 
at  this  present,  that  the  said  mass  is  full  of  superstition, 
plain  idolatry,  and  unprofitable  for  the  soul  ; .  and  so  I 
have  called  it  many  times,  and  take  it  at  this  present." 

"  Having  also  confessed  and  declared  to  my. said  ordi- 
nary, that  the  sacrament  of  baptism  ought  to  be  only  in 
the  vulgar  tongue,  and  not  otherwise  ministered  ;  and 
also,  without  such  ceremonies  as  are  generally  used  in 
the  Latin  church,  and  otherwise  not  to  be  allowed.'* 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  251 

*'  Finally,  being  often  and  many  times  called  before  my 
said  ordinary,  and  talking  withal,  touching  all  my  said 
confessions  and  declarations,  both  by  my  said  ordinary, 
and  divers  other  learned  men,  as  well  his  chaplains  as 
others,  and  counselled  by  them  all  to  embrace  the  church, 
and  to  recant  mine  error,  in  the  premises  which  they 
told  me  was  plain  heresy,  and  manifest  error  ;  do  tes- 
tify and  declare  hereby,  that  I  do  and  will  continually 
stand  to  my  said  confession,  declaration,  and  belief,  in 
all  the  premises,  and  every  part  thereof;  and,  in  no 
wise,  recant,  or  go  from  any  part  of  the  same.  In  witness 
whereof,  I  have  subscribed  and  passed  this  writing,  this 
26th  of  September,  1554. 

Thomas  Tomkins." 
Bishop  Bonner,  and  the  rest  of  the  tribunal,  strongly 
pressed  Tomkins  to  recant  his  errors,  and  return  to 
the  mother- church ;  but  he  only  answered,  *'  I  was 
born  and  brought  up  in  ignorance  till  of  late  years  ;  and 
now  I  know  the  truth,  I  will  continue  therein  unto 
death." 

Finding  him  inflexible,  they  declared  him  a  heretic, 
and  ordered  the  sheriff  of  London,  who  attended,  to 
conduct  him  immediately  to  Newgate.  Here  he  re- 
mained till  the  16th  of  the  month  called  March,  1555, 
when  he  was  conducted  to  Smithfield,  and  there  burnt, 
triumphing  in  the  midst  of  the  flames*  and  adding  to 
those  mart)  rs  who  had  preceded  him,  through  the  path 
®f  the  fiery  trial  to  the  realms  of  immortal  giory. 

The  Martyrdom  of  William  Hunter, 

This  pious  young  man,  was  the  son  of  poor,  but 
honest  and  religious  parents,  who  trained  him  up  in  the 
doctrines  of  the  reformation  ;  and,  when  at  a  proper 
age,  put  him  apprentice  to  one  Thomas  Taylor,  a  silk- 
weaver,  in  Coleman- street,  London. 

On  the  accession  of  queen  Mary,  orders  were  issued 
to  the  priests  of  every  parish,  to  summon  all  their  parish- 
ioners to  rccieve  the  communion  at  mass  the  Easter  fol- 
lowing, when  youngs  Hunter,  who  was  then  only  nine- 


252  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

teen  years  of  age,  refusing  to  obey  the  summons,  was 
threatened  with  being  brought  before  the  bishop  to  an- 
swer for  his  disobedience. 

In  consequence  of  this,  his  master,  fearful  of  incur- 
ring ecclesiastical  censure,  desired  he  would  leave  him, 
at  least  for  a  time  ;  upon  which,  he  quitted  his  service, 
^and  went  to  his  father  at  Brentwood,  in  Essex. 

During  his  stay  here,  he  one  day  went  into  the  chapel, 
and  seeing  the  bible  lay  on  the  desk ,  he  opened  it,  and 
began  to  read.  Being  observed  by  an  officer  of  the 
bishop's  court,  he  severely  reprimanded  him,  and  said, 
*'  why  meddlest  thou  with  the  bible  ?  understandest 
thou  what  thou  readest  ?  canst  thou  expound  the  scrip- 
tures ?"  To  which.  Hunter  replied,  **  I  do  not  presume 
to  do  it ;  but  finding  the  bible  here,  I  read  it  for  my 
comfort  and  edification." 

The  officer  then  informed  a  neighbouring  priest  of  the 
liberty  Hunter  had  taken  in  reading  the  bible,  who  im- 
mediately sent  for  him,  and  chastised  him,  saying,  "  sir- 
rah, who  gave  thee  leave  to  read  the  bible  and  expound 
it  ?"  He  answered,  as  he  had  done  to  the  officer  ;  and 
on  the  priest's  saying,  it  became  him  not  to  meddle  with 
the  scriptures,  he  frankly  declared  his  resolution  to  read 
them  as  long  as  he  lived.  The  priest  upbraided  him  as 
a  heretic ;  but  he  boldly  denied  the  charge.  Being 
asked  his  opinioTi  concerning  the  corporal  presence  in  the 
sacrament,  he  replied,  that  he  esteemed  the  bread  and 
wine  but  as  figures,  and  looked  upon  the  sacrament  as 
an  institution  in  remembrance  of  the  death  and  suffi^rings 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  On  this,  the 
priest  openly  declared  him  a  heretic,  and  threatened  to 
complain  of  him  to  the  bishop. 

A  neighbouring  justice  having  heard  that  young 
Hunter  maintained  heretical  principles,  sent  for  his 
father  to  inquire  the  particulars.  The  old  man  told  him, 
that  his  son  had  left  him,  and  that  he  knew  not  whither 
he  was  gone.  The  justice,  not  believing  what  he  said, 
threatened  to  commit  him  to  prison,  unless  he  wouJd 
immediately  cause  his  son  to  be  apprehended,  and 
brought  before  }iim.     To  this  he  replied,  with  tears  in 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  253 

his  eyes,  "  would  you  have  me  seek  out  my  son  to  be 
burned?'' 

The  old  man,  however,  was  obliged  to  go,  (or  at 
least  pretended  to  do  so)  in  quest  of  his  son;  when  meet- 
ing him  by  accident,  he  asked  his  father  if  he  was  seek- 
ing for  him  ;  to  which  the  old  man  answered  with  tears, 
he  was ;  and  that  it  was  by  order  of  the  justice,  who 
threatened  to  put  him  in  pqson.  The  son,  to  secure 
his  father  from  any  danger  on  his  account,  said,  he 
was  ready  to  accompany  him  home,  which  he  according- 
ly did. 

The  next  day,  young  Hunter  was  apprehended  by  the 
constable  of  the  parish,  wi^o  put  him  in  the  stocks  for 
twenty-four  hours,  and  then  took  him  before  the  justice. 
On  his  arrival,  the  justice  called  for  a  bible,  turned  to 
the  sixth  chapter  of  St.  John,  and  desired  him  to  give 
his  opinion  of  the  meaning  of  it,  us  it  related  to  the  sac- 
rament of  the  altar. 

Hunter  gave  the  same  explanation  as  he  had  done  to 
the  priest ;  and  persisting  in  his  denial  of  the  corporal 
presence  in  the  eucharist,  the  justice  upbraided  him  with 
heresy,  and  wrote  an  account  of  his  conduct  to  the  bish- 
op of  London. 

In  consequence  of  this,  young  Hunter  was  summoned 
to  appear  at  the  consistory  court  held  at  St.  Paul's.  He 
accordingly  attended  at  the  time  appointed,  when  he  was 
severely  reproved  for  having  fallen  from  the  Catholic 
faith,  and  ^vas  exhorted  to  return  to  the  same. 

To  this,  he  boldly  answered,  that  he  had  not  fidlen 
from  the  Catholic  faith,  but  believed  and  confessed  it 
with  all  his  heart. 

He  was  then  desired  by  the  bishop  to  recant  what  he 
had  said  concerning  tlie  sacrament  of  the  altar ;  but  he 
declared,  that  by  the  help  of  God,  he  would  still  con- 
tinue to  persist  in  that  faith  he  l^id  hitherto  maintained. 

Being  urged  still  further,  and  promised,  that  if  he 
would  recant,  he  should  go  home  unhurt,  he  said  to  the 
bishop,  "  my  lord,  if  you  will  let  me  alone,  and  leave  me 
to  my  own  conscience,  I  will  return  to  my  father,  and 
dwell  with  him,  or  else  with  my  master  again,  and  will 
keep  my  opinion  to  myself." 


254  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS^ 

The  Bishop  answered,  *'  I  am  content,  so  that  thou 
"wilt  go  to  church,  receive,  and  be  confessed." 

This,  Hunter  peremptorily  refused ;  upon  which,  af- 
ter several  farther  efforts  to  bring  him  over,  the  bishop 
ordered  him  to  be  put  in  the  stocks,  where  he  continued 
two  days  and  nights,  having  only  a  crust  of  brown 
bread,  and  a  cup  of  water,  given  to  him  for  refresh- 
ment. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  two  days,  the  bishop  went  to 
him,  and  finding  the  bread  and  water  lay  by  him  untouch- 
ed, he  ordered  some  of  his  servants  to  take  him  out  of 
the  stocks,  and  let  him  breakfast  with  them  ;  but  as  he 
was  deemed  a  heretic,  they  would  not  comply  with  the 
bishop's  request. 

After  this,  he  was  repeatedly  brought  before  the  bish- 
op, who,  sometimes  by  soothing  him,  and  sometimes 
by  threats,  endeavoured  to  bring  him  to  a  recantation ; 
but  all  his  efforts  proved  ineffectual.  In  consequence  of 
this,  the  persecuting  prelate  passed  sentence  on  him, 
which  was,  that  he  should  be  removed  to  Newgate  for  a 
time,  from  whence  he  should  be  removed  to  Brentwood; 
*' where  (said  thebishcp)  thou  shaltbe  burned." 

A  few  days  after  this,  the  bishop  sent  for  him  again, 
and  promised  him  preferment,  if  he  would  recant,  to 
which,  he  replied,  "  my  lord,  I  thank  you  for  your  great 
offer ;  but  if  you  cannot  enforce  my  recantation  from 
scripture,  I  cannot  in  my  conscience,  turn  from  God  for 
the  love  of  the  world ;  for  I  count  all  things  but  dross 
for  the  love  of  Christ." 

He  was  then  carried  back  to  Newgate  ;  and,  in  a  few 
days,  removed  to  Brentwood,  where  he  was  confined  in 
an  inn  till  the  day  of  his  execution.  During  this  time, 
he  was  visited  by  many  of  his  neighbours  and  acquaint- 
ances, all  of  whom  he  exhorted  to  beware  of  popisli  su- 
perstition and  idolatry. 

On  the  morning  of  the  27th  of  the  month  called 
March,  1555,  the  sheriff  gave  orders  for  the  necessary 
preparations  to  be  made  for  his  execution.  In  the  mean 
time,  the  sheriff's  son,  who  was  his  friend,  visited  him  at 
the  inn,  and  encouraged  him  not  to  fear  the  men  who  were 


PERSECUTED     BY    THE    PAPISTS.  255 

jmaking  prepaj-ations  for  his  death  ;  to  Avhom,  he  said,  that 
thank  God,  he  was  not  the  least  inftmldatcd  ;  for  that  he 
had  cast  up  his  account,  and  knew  well  the  happy  conse- 
quences that  would  attend  his  strict  adherence  to  the  cause, 
of  Christ. 

A  short  time  after  this,  he  was  led  from  the  inn  to  the 
stake,  between  one  of  the  sheriff's  officers,  and  his  brother 
Robert.  In  their  way,  he  was  met  by  his  father,  who, 
with  tears  flowing  from  his  eyes,  said  to  him,  "  God  be 
vvidi  thee,  son  William.'' 

When  he  arrived  at  the  place  of  execution,  he  kneeled 
on  a  fagot,  and  repeated  the  51st  psalm,  till  he  came  to 
these  words  :  "  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit : 
a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  O  God,  thou  w  ilt  not  des- 
pise.'' He  was  then  interrupted  by  one  of  the  officers, 
who  told  him  the  translation  was  wrong,  the  words  being 
an  humble  spirit  :  but  he  said,  the  translation  was  a  con- 
trite heart,  on  which,  he  was  told,  that  the  heretics  trans- 
lated books  as  they  pleased. 

The  sheriff"  then  produced  him  a  letter  from  the  queen, 
containing  his  pardon,  if  he  would  recant ;  but  he  refused 
life  on  those  terms,  went  up  to  the  stake,  and  was  chain- 
ed to  it,  saying  to  the  spectators  :  "  Good  people,  pray  for 
me,  and  make  quick  dispatch  :  pray  for  me,  while  you  sec 
me  alive,  and  I  will  pray  for  you." 

He  then  took  a  fagot,  and  embraced  it  in  his  arms  ;  and, 
on  a  priest's  offering  him  a  book,  said,  "  Away,  thou  false 
prophet :  beware  of  him,  good  people,  and  come  away 
from  their  abominations,  lest  ye  be  partaker  of  their 
plagues." 

As  soon  as  the  fire  was  kindled,  our  martyr  gave  his 
prayer-book  to  his  brother,  who,  to  encourage  him,  re- 
minded him  of  the  passion  of  his  dear  Redeemer,  and  bade 
him  be  of  good  cheer  :  to  which,  he  replied,  "  I  fear  nei- 
ther torture  nor  death  :  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  departing 
spirit ! "  The  fire  burning  rapidly,  he  was  soon  consumed, 
yielding  up  his  life,  widi  patience  and  humility,  to  him  who 
gave  it;  and  in  testimony  of  the  truth  of  that  God,  who 
cannot  change,  but  >yhoi>e  word  i$  the  same  yesterday,  t<* 
day,  and  for  ever. 


256  PBRSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

The  next  that  suffered  were  Higbed  and  Canston,  both 
of  Essex,  two  men  sd  fervent  for  rehgion,  that  in  these 
bUnd  and  idolatrous  times,  they  could  not  he  long  hid  in 
obscurit}^,  but  were  constrained  to  bear  their  testimony, 
though  at  the  loss  of  their  lives. 

Bonner  perceiving  these  were  men  of  repute  in  their 
country,  and  such  as  were  called  gentlemen,  he  took  the 
more  pains  to  bring  them  off  their  profession  ;  and  went 
to  Colchester  himself  to  seek  to  reclaim  them  ;  sometimes 
using  fair  promises,  and  flattering  enticements,  at  other 
times  threatening  them  with  high  words,  to  terrify  them. 
At  last,  seeing  them  both  constant  and  immoveable  in  their 
zeal  for  their  religion,  he  caused  them  and  some  others, 
apprehended  in  that  country,  at  the  same  time,  and  for  the 
game  cause,  to  be  brought  up  to  London,  where  they  were 
committed  close  prisoners  ;  and  were  first  privately  exam- 
ined by  the  bishop  and  his  chaplain,  and  urged,  by  all 
means,  to  forsake  their  opinions.  But  when  the  bishop 
saw  that  way  would  work  no  alteration,  he  caused  them  to 
be  brought  to  open  examination,  at  the  consistory  at  Sto 
Paul's,  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  month  called  February, 
1555  ;  where  being  further  pressed  to  recant  of  the  er- 
rors  which  they  said  were  held,  and  to  return  to  the  unity 
of  the  church  ;  but  they  still  refusing  ;  a  great  list  of  arti- 
cles was  delivered  them,  and  their  answers  thereunto  re- 
quired of  them  the  next  day. 

At  the  second  time  of  their  public  appearance  and  trial, 
their  answers  were  read ;  and  Canston  being  first  called, 
w^s  exhorted  again  to  be  comfoniiable  to  the  un  ity  of  the 
church  ;  into  which,  they  said,  they  were  ready  to  receive 
him  :  he  replied,  "  you  lay  snares  and  gins  to  catch  us, 
but,  mark,  w^hat  measure  you  meet  shall  be  measured  to 
you  again." 

Then  Higbed  was  called  ;  to  whom  the  like  persuasions 
were  used,  but  to  as  little  purpose  as  the  other  ;  for  he  told 
them,  he  had  been  sixteen  years  in  t]>e  mind  he  was  then 
in,  and  should  not  alter  now. 

At  their  last  appearance  before  them,  the  prisoners  c'e- 
clared  (cailirig  God  to  record)  that  their  persisting  in  that 
steadfastness,  was  not  in  wilfulness,  as  some  might  judge, 


^•tRSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  2St 

"but  for  conscience  sake.  "  For,"  said  they,  "  we  sought  the 
Lord,  that  we  might  do  no  hing  contrary  to  his  biussed 
word  ;  and  in  that  he  hath  slicwed  his  power  in  our  weak- 
ness, we  cannot  but  praise  him,  unto  whom,  we  give 
thinks,  through  Christ  Jtsus  our  Lord." 

Whent'  ey  had  thus  spoken,  the  bishop  began  to  pro* 
nouice  the  sentenc.  aguinsi  GanstO'i ;  to  whom,  Canstort 
Si. id,  it  was  a  rash  judgment,  without  love  and  mercy. 
Then  was  sentence  also  pronounced  against  Higbed  :  and 
both  were  delivered  to  the  sheriffs,  who  sent  them  to  New- 
gate, where  they  remained  fourteen  days,  continually  prais- 
ing God,  not  so  much  concerned  at  their  aiRictions,  as  re- 
joiced in  their  consolations,  pras  ing,  and  earnestly  desiring, 
they  might  persevere  to  the  end,  to  the  praise  of  the  eternal 
God,  and  comfort  of  the  breiliren. 

The  fourteen  days  being  expired,  they  werCj  bv  four 
o'clock  in  the  mornirig,  led  from  Newgate  to  Aldgate  ;  and 
there  delivered  to  the  sheriff  of  l^ssex,  who  conveyed  them 
to  the  places  where  they  were  executed,  viz*  Higbed  to 
Hornden  on  vhe  hill ;  and  Thomas  Canst.on  to  Rayleigh; 
where  they  both,  with  great  constancy,  finished  their  testi- 
monies in  the  fire,  greatly  rejoicing,  and  giving  the  glory 
to  God. 


The  Martyrdom  of  William  Pigot^  Stephen  Knight,  and 
John  Lawrence  ;  the  two  former  Laymen^  and  the  lat- 
ter a  Priest. 

These  three  pious  christians  having  been  pointed  out 
by  the  emissaries  of  Bonner  and  Gardner,  information  was 
given  to  those  savage  prelatesj  that  they  .maintained  relig- 
ious opinions  contrary  to  the  doctrine  and  practice  of  the 
holy  mother-church.  In  consequence  of  this,  they  were 
all  three  summoned  to  appear  before  bishop  Bonner,  at  his 
consistory  court  in  London,  where  they  were  severally 
questioned  concerning  their  faith  of  the  coporal  presence 
in  the  sucrament. 

Having  respectfully  answered  and  subscribed,  that  they 
were   not  subbtantially,   but   figurativelv,  the    body  and 

2  t 


258  rERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

blood  of  Christ  in  that  holy  ordinance,  they  were  severely 
reprimanded  by  the  court,  admonished  to  recant  their  her- 
etical opinions,  and  for  that  time  dismissed. 

A  few  days  after,  they  were  again  examined  concern- 
ing the  same  tenet,  tvhen  they  made  the  like  declaration  as 
before  ;  in  consequence  of  which,  the  bishop  addressed 
himself  to  the  two  laymen,  and,  with  an  affected  concern 
for  their  spiritual  and  temporal  interests,  warmly  exhor- 
ted them  to  reject  their  heresies,  and  not  expose  themselves 
to  death  here,  and  damnation  hereafter,  by  obstinately 
persisting  in  disobedience  to  the  holy  see  :  but  these  plain 
and  honest  christians  were  too  well  grounded  in  the  doc- 
trines of  Christ's  pure  gospel,  to  be  moved  from  their  ad- 
herence to  the  true  faith.  They,  therefore,  told  the  bish- 
op, that  they  could  not  recant  consistently  with  the  dic- 
tates of  their  own  consciences,  nor  would  they  abjure  the 
opinions  to  which  they  had  subscribed. 

After  this,  bishop  Bonner  entered  into  argument  with 
Lawrence,  the  priest,  alone  ;  and  having  demanded  of  what 
order  he  was,  he  answered,  that  be  was  admitted  to  priest's 
orders  eighteen  years  past ;  that  he  was  some  time  a  black 
friar  ;  and  that  he  was  betrothed  to  a  maid,  whom  he  in- 
tended to  marry. 

The  bishop  then  asked  him  his  opinion  of  the  corporal 
presence  in  the  sacrament  :  to  ^vhich,  he  replied,  that  it 
was  an  institution  of  our  blessed  Lord,  in  commemoration 
of  his  death  and  sufferings  ;  and  that  those  were  greatly  de- 
cei^'ed,  who  believed  that  his  body  was  verily  present  in  the 
same,  saying,  that  he  had  long  before  ascended  into  heav- 
en, and  was  placed  at  the  right  hand  of  the  glorious  majesty 
of  the  Father. 

Lawrence  was,  for  the  present,  dismissed  ;  but  a  few 
days  aftei\  he,  Pigot,  and  Knight,  were  again  summoned 
before  the  bishop,  who,  with  his  usual  hypocrisy,  exhorted 
them  to  recant,  embrace  the  Roman  catholic  faith,  and  not 
be  the  wilful  cause  of  their  own  destruction.  But  no  ar- 
guments could  induce  them  to  recede  in  a  single  point ;  all 
of  them  declaring,  they  would  abide  by  their  opinions,  be- 
cause the}'  were  founded  on  the  word  of  God  ;  wiiereas  the 
other  was  merely  of  human  invention. 


B^RSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  259 

From  this  frank  declaration,  bishop  Bonner  proceeded 
to  pass  sentence  on  them  as  irreclaimable  heretics;  and  then 
degraded  Lawrence  with  the  usual  ceremonies.  After 
which,  they  were  all  three  delivered  to  the  sheriff,  who  con- 
ducted them  to  Newgate. 

On  the  28th  of  the  month  called  March,  1555,  (the  day 
appointed  for  the  execution  of  Pigot  and  Knight)  they  were 
removed  early  in  tlie  morning  to  the  respective  places  des- 
tined for  their  execution,  the  former  at  Braintree,  and  the 
latter  at  Maiden,  in  Essex.  When  Knight  arrived  at  the 
stake,  he  kneeled  down,  and,  with  an  audible  voice,  said  the 
following  prayer  : 

''  O  Lord  Jesus  Christ !  for  whose  love,  I  leave  willingly 
this  life,  and  desire  rather  the  bitter  death  of  thy  cross, 
with  the  loss  of  all  earthly  things,  than  to  the  blasphemy 
of  thy  most  holy  name,  or  to  obey  men  in  breaking  thy  ho- 
ly commandment.  Thou  seest,  O  Lord,  that  where  I 
might  live  in  wordly  wealth  to  w^orship  a  false  God,  and 
honour  thine  enemy,  I  choose  rather  the  torment  of  the 
body,  and  the  loss  of  this  life  ;  and  have  counted  all  things 
but  vile  dust  and  dung,  that  I  might  win  thee  ;  which  death 
is  deai'er  unto  me,  than  thousands  of  gold  and  silver.  Such 
love,  O  Lord,  hast  thou  laid  up  in  my  breast,  that  I  hunger 
for  thee,  as  the  deer  that  is  wounded  desireth  the  foil. 
Send  thy  holy  comforter,  O  Lord,  to  aid,  comfort,  and 
strengthen  this  weak  piece  of  earth,  which  is  empty  of  all 
strengdi  of  itself.  Thou  rememberest,  O  Lord,  that  I  am 
but  dust,  and  able  to  do  nothing  that  is  good  ;  therefore, 
O  Lord,  as  of  thine  accustomed  goodness  and  love,  thou 
hast  invited  me  to  this  banquet,  and  accounted  me  worthy 
to  drink  of  thine  own  cup  among  thine  elect ;  even  so  give 
me  strength,  O  Lord,  against  this  thine  element  wiiich, 
as  to  my  sight,  it  is  most  irksome  and  terrible,  so  to  my 
mind,  it  may  at  thy  commandment  (as  an  obedient  servant) 
be  sweet  and  pleasant ;  that  through  the  strength  of  thy  ho- 
ly spirit,  I  may  pass  through  the  rage  of  this  fire  into  thy 
bosom,  according  to  thy  promise,  and  for  this  mortal,  re- 
ceive an  immortal,  and  for  this  corruptible,  put  on  incor- 
ruption.  Accept  this  burnt  sacrifice  and  offering,  O  Lord, 


260  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

pot  for  the  sacrifice,  but  for  thy  dear  Son^s  sake,  my  Sav- 
iour, for  whose  testimony,  I  offer  tliis  free-will  ofiering,  with 
all  luy  heart,  and  with  all  my  soul.  O  heavenly  Father,  for- 
give me  my  sins,  as  i  forgive  all  the  world.  O  sweet  Son 
of  God  my  Saviour,  spread  thy  wings  over  me.  O  blessed 
and  Holy  Ghost,  through  whose  merciful  inspiration,  I  am 
come  hither,  conduct  me  into  everlasting  life.  Lord,  into 
thy  hands,  I  command  my  spirit.     Amen." 

Both  these  martyrs  suffered  with  amazing  fortitude  and 
resignation,  proving  to  the  spectators,  that,  as  is  the  day  of 
the  sincere  believer,  so  likewise  shall  be  his  strength. 

The  next  day,  John  Lawrence  suftered  at  Colchester. 
He  was  carried  to  the  place  of  execution  in  a  chair,  (being 
unable  to  walk,  from  the  pressure  of  the  irons  with  which 
his  legs  were  bound,  and  the  weakness  of  his  body  from 
want  of  proper  nourishment  while  in  prison).  The  chair 
was  fastened  to  the  stake,  and  he  sat  in  it,  for  some  time, 
with  great  composure,  praying  to  God  to  enable  him  to 
undergo  the  fiery  trial ;  at  length,  the  fi.gots  were  lighted 
and  he  triumphantly  expired  in  the  cause  of  his  gioiious 
master,  in  sure  and  certain  hope  of  an  eternal  existence  in 
heaven. 


The  Martyrdom  of  Dr.  B chert  Farrar^  bishop  of  St, 
David's, 

The  emissaries  of  the  persecuting  bishops  had  for  some 
time,  fixed  their  eyes  on  this  worthy  and  pious  prcliite, 
who  not  only  in  the  former  reign,  but  also  after  the  acces- 
sion of  Mary,  had  been  particularly  zealous  in  promoting 
the  reformed  doctrines,  and  exploding  the  errors  of  popish 
idolatry.  Information  of  this  being  given  to  the  bishop  of 
Winchester,  (who  was  then  likewise  lord  chancellor)  Dr. 
Farrar,  with  several  others,  was  summoned  to  appear  be- 
fore him,  and  the  other  commissioners,  appointed  for  the 
abominable  work  of  massacreing  protestants. 

After  some  previous  harangue,  the  bishop  formally  told 
him,  that  the  queen  and  parliament  had  restored  religion  t# 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  261 

the  State  in  which  it  was  at  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of 
Henry  VIII,  that  he  was  in  the  queen's  dtbt,  but  her 
majesty  would  cancel  the  same,  and  re-admit  him  to  lier 
fcwour,  if  he  would  return  to  the  holy  catholic  church. 

Undismayed  b}  this  information.  Dr.  Farrar  answered, 
that,  with  respect  to  the  debt,  he  submitted  it  to  the  lord 
treasurer ;  but  his  lordship  might  well  remember,  that, 
upon  two  former  occasions,  he  had  solemnly  sworn  never 
to  acknowledge  the  papal  jurisdiction  over  the  realm  of 
England  ;  and,  therefore,  it  was  needless  to  rehearse  what 
he  had  already  so  peremptorily  declared. 

After  a  long  debate,  Gardner  sternly  demanded,  if  he 
would  recant,  and  acknowledge  the  papal  supremacy  ;  to 
which,  Farrar,  with  a  resolution  becoming  a  true  chris- 
tian and  worthy  bishop,  expressed  a  degree  of  contempt, 
tliat  his  lordship  should  even  think  he  would  recede  from 
an  oath  he  had  made  to  his  maker :  an  oath  he  could  not 
break,  consistent  widi  his  duty  to  God,  and  his  regard 
to  t.  e  interest  of  the  reformed  religion  in  his  native 
country. 

The  ambitious  Gardner  was  so  highly  incensed  at  this 
spirited  behaviour  in  Dr.  Farrar,  that,  according  to  his 
inhuman  custom,  he  treated  him  with  scurrility,  calliiig 
him  froward  knave,  and  telling  him,  that  he  should  know 
his  fate  in  a  short  time.  To  this,  Farrar  coolly  replied, 
that  he  would  ever  readily  obey  his  summons,  but  would 
never  retract  what  he  had  solemnly  sworn,  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  him,  or  any  other  man  whatever. 

The  examination  being  over.  Dr.  Farrar  was  ordered 
to  Newgate,  v\  her^  he  was  a  short  time  confined,  and  then 
sent  into  Wales,  there  to  receive  his  sentence  of  condem- 
nation. 

On  his  arrival  at  Carmarthen,  he  was  delivered  to  the 
sheriff  of  the  county,  who  took  him  before  Henry  ISIor- 
gjn,  then  bishop  of  St.  David's,  and  Constantine,  the 
public  notary,  by  whom  he  was  committed  to  the  custody 
of  the  keeper  of  Carmarthen  jail. 

A  few  da}  s  after  liis  commitment  to  that  prison,  he  was 
sent  for  by  bibhop  Morgan,  who  exhorted  him  to  recant; 
©n  condition  of  which,  he  assured  him  of  the  queen's 


262  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

clemency,  as  well  as  preferment  to  an  office  of  dignity  in 
tlie  church.  But  our  martyr  was  inflexible  :  he  would  not 
listen  to  any  proposals  derogatory  to  the  oath  he  had  ta- 
ken ;  upon  which,  bishop  Morgan  asked  him  the  two  fol- 
lowing questions: 

1.  ''  Whether  he  believed  the  marriage  of  priests,  al- 
lowed by  the  laws  of  the  holy  church  ? 

2.  "  Whether  he  believed,  that  in  the  blessed  sacra- 
ment of  the  altar,  after  the  words  of  consecration  duly 
pronounced  by  tlie  priests,  the  very  body  and  blood  of 
Christ  are  really  and  substantially  contained,  without  the 
substance  of  bread  and  wine  ?" 

Dr.  Farrar  refused  to  answer  to  these  questions,  unless 
the  bishop  produced  a  commission,  authorizing  him  to 
ask  them  ;  upon  which,  he  was  remanded  to  prison. 

At  length,  after  various  disputes  with  bishop  Morgan, 
he  appealed  from  him,  as  an  incompetent  judge,  to  cardi- 
nal Pole  ;  notwithstanding  which,  sentence  was  pronoun- 
ced against  him  as  a  heretic,  and  he  was  delivered  over 
to  the  secular  pov/er,  having  been  previously  degraded  by 
Morgan. 

Thus,  for  his  steadfast  adherence  to  the  uncon'upted 
doctrines  of  the  reformation,  and  resolute  denial  of  the 
papal  jurisdiction  in  these  realms,  was  Dr.  Farrar  con- 
demned, degraded,  and  deliveredupto  the  secular  power; 
and,  on  the  eve  of  the  day  called  Passion  Sunday,  in  the 
bloody  year  1555,  was  executed  in  the  market-place  of 
Carmarthen,  amidst  a  numerous  crowd  of  spectators. 

The  following  circumstance  is  an  evincing  proof  what 
constancy  and  resolution  this  good  nvm  possessed,  and 
how  determined  he  was  to  retain  those  religious  princi- 
ples to  the  last,  which,  during  his  life,  he  had  so  strongly 
adhered  to. 

The  son  of  a  person  of  distinction  visiting  him,  a  few 
days  before  his  execution,  and  lamenting  the  cruel  fate 
that  awaited  him,  the  doctor  told  him,  that  if  he  saw  him 
once  stir  in  the  pains  of  burning,  he  might  then  give  no 
credit  to  his  doctrine,  but  look  upon  it  as  the  effects  of 
enthusiasm. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  263 

He  resolutely  fulfilled  his  promise,  and  gready  surpris- 
ed his  friend,  who  came  to  condole  his  fate  ;  for  he  stood 
motionless  in  the  midst  of  the  flames,  holding  both  his 
hands  till  they  were  burnt  to  the  stumps  ;  at  which  time, 
one  of  the  officers  struck  him  on  the  head  with  a  stafi*,  and 
put  a  period  to  his  life. 


The 


suffer 'mgs  and  Martyrdom  of  Rawlins  White ^  a  poor 
Fisherman,  of  South-  Wales, 

To  such  a  height  did  the  rage  and  malice  of  popish 
persecutors  arrive,  during  this  reign,  that  they  not  only 
vented  their  fury  on  men  of  eminence  and  learning,  who 
espoused  the  protestant  cause,  but  the  meanest  and  most 
ignorant  of  the  people,  who  would  not  submit  to  the  pa- 
pal yoke,  were  arraigned  at  their  bloody  tribunal,  and  put 
to  death  for  no  other  cause  but  that  of  professing  the  truth 
expounded  in  the  scriptures. 

Rawlins  White  (the  poor  man  whose  sufferings  we  arc 
gohig  to  relate)  had  been  so  attentive  to  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  during  the  late  reign,  that  he  attained  to  a  very 
competent  knowledge  of  the  holy  scriptures,  and  became 
a  zealous  assertor  of  the  protestant  doctrines,  liaving 
wholly  renounced  the  superstition  and  idolatry  of  the  po- 
pish reli^f^ion,  and  conformed  to  the  public  worship  of 
God,  according  to  the  English  common  prayer-book  then 
set  forth. 

Being  thus  converted  to  the  true  faith  of  Christ,  he 
took  great  pains  to  instruct  his  son  in  the  same,  causing 
him  to  read  a  portion  of  holy  scripture  every  night  and 
morning,  till  he  likewise  became  well  grounded  in  the 
principles  of  true  religion,  as.  contained  in  the  gospel. 

White  was  not  only  desirous  of  acquiring  saving 
knowledge  himself,  but  also  of  communicating  it  to  oth- 
ers ;  insomuch  that  he  took  every  opportunity  of  visit- 
ing his  neighbours,  endeavouring  to  'instruct  th.osc, 
whom  he  found  desirous  of  obtaining  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth. 


2.64  PERSECtJTED    BY    THE    PAPIST5. 

He  continued  to  practise  those  devout  and  holy  exer-* 
cises  in  a  public  manner,  till  the  death  of  king  Edward, 
when  popery  being  restored,  and  the  pure  religion  dis- 
couraged and  restrained,  he  used  to  meet  privateh  with 
his  friends,  pray,  and  encourage  them  to  l-old  fast  to  the 
truth.  At  length,  he  was  apprehended,  by  one  of  the  of- 
ficers of  the  town,  on  a  suspicion  of  heresy,  who  taking 
him  before  the  bishop  of  LandafF,  he  was,  by  that  prelate, 
committed  to  prison. 

During  his  confinement,  several  of  his  friends  sent  him 
money  privately  ;  and  he  was  visited  by  many,  w^hom  he 
instructed  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  exhorted  to  beware 
of  popish  emissaries,  as  of  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing. 

After  a  long  imprisonment,  the  bishop  of  Landaff  sum- 
moned White  to  appear  before  him  ;  and  endeavoured 
to  bring  him  over  to  the  popish  idolatry  and  supersti- 
tion ;  but  all  his  ex  ortations  proving  ineffectual,  le  told 
him  in  anger,  that  he  must  come  to  a  resolution  eit  er  to 
recant  his  heretical  opinions,  or  endure  the  rigour  of  the 
law  against  those  who  maintained  tenets  repugnant  to  the 
doctrines  of  the  holy  see. 

On  the  day  appointed  for  his  ex  iminition,  the  bishop, 
in  the  presence  of  his  chaplains,  and  many  of  the  neigh- 
bours, assembled  in  the  chapel,  declared  that  White  was 
known  not  only  to  maintain  heretical  principles  himself, 
but  to  inculcate  the  same  amongst  his  acquaintance. 
Then  addressing  himself  to  White,  he  told  him,  that  he 
had  frequently,  since  his  first  warning,  both  there  and  in 
his  house,  been  admonished  to  relinquish  his  heretical  ten- 
ets, and  yet  had  always  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  most 
salutary  advice.  He  added,  that,  out  of  clemency,  they 
had  once  more  sent  for  him,  mildly  to  endeavour  to  bring 
him  to  an  humble  sense  of  his  errors,  and  assure  liim,  that, 
upon  due  ]x^nitence  for  the  crimes  he  had  committed, 
both  agaiiist  God  and  the  law  of  his  sovereign  they  were 
disposed  to  shew  him  mercy  :  but  that,  if  in  spiie  of  the 
royal  clemency,  and  abomination  of  the  reverend  fluhers, 
he  obstinately  persisted  in  his  heresies,  they  were  deter- 
mined to  execute  on  him  the  utmost  rigour  of  the  huv,  a» 
a  most  damnable  heretic. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  2:65 

White,  without  the  least  sign  of  fear  at  the  peremptory 
declaration  of  the  bishop,  told  his  lordship,  that  he  bless- 
ed God  he  was  a  christian,  and  held  no  doctrines  contra- 
ry to  the  divine  mind  and  will  as  revealed  in  the  scrip- 
tures of  truth  :  if  he  did,  he  begged  to  be  convinced  of 
the  same  out  of  the  divine  word,  to  which  he  determined 
ever  most  implicitly  to  conform. 

After  much  exhortation,  the  bishop  assured  him,  that 
if  he  would  not  recant,  he  must  condemn  him  as  a  her- 
etic. To  which,  White  replied,  that  he  might  proceed 
as  he  thought  proper,  but  that  he  could  not  condemn  him 
as  a  heretic,  as  he  did  not  maintain  any  opinion  that  was 
not  supported  by  the  word  of  God. 

The  bishop  then  desired  the  people  present  to  join  with 
him  in  prayer,  that  it  would  please  God  to  turn  White 'sf 
heart,  and  bring  him  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  true- 
religion. 

Our  martyr  applauded  this  behaviour  of  the  bishop  as- 
becoming  his  profession,  assuring  him,  that,  if  their  re- 
quest was  agreeable  to  the  divine  will,  God  would,  doubt- 
less, hear  and  grant  the  same  :  and  that,  while  he  was 
praying  to  his  God,  he  (White)  would  pray  to  his  God^ 
who  he  knew  would  hear  and  perform  his  desire. 

Accordingly,  they  all  went  to  prayer ;  which  being 
finished,  the  bishop  asked  him,  how  he  found  himsel£ 
disposed  in  his  mind  ?  He  replied,  the  very  same  as  be- 
fore. 

The  bishop,  incensed  that  no  change  could  be  wrought 
upon  him,  was  ready  to  have  read  the  sentence,  but  hc> 
was  advised  first  to  say  mass  ;  during  which  ceremony. 
White  standing  at  the  door  of  the  choir,  cried  out  to  the 
populace,  *'  bear  witness,  that  I  bow  not  to  this  idol," 
(meaning  the  host,  which  the  priest  held  over  his  head.) 

Mass  being  performed,  he  was  again  warmly  admonish- 
ed to  recant,  but  all  exhortation  was  ineft'ectual.  The 
bishop,  therefore,  read  the  definitive  sentence,  after  which, 
he  was  carried  to  Cardiff,  and  imprisoned  in  a  place 
called  Cockmarel,  a  most  filthy  and  loathsome  dungeon, 
where  he  continued  till  the  writ  of  his  execution  came 
from  London, 

2  u 


266  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS^ 

Upon  the  day  appointed  for  terminating  his  Ufa,  which 
was  on  the  30th  of  the  month  called  March,  1555,  he  was 
brought  from  prison;  and  in  his  way  to  the  place  appointed 
for  the  bloody  scene,  met  his  wife  and  children,  wringing 
their  hands,  and  most  bitterly  lamenting  his  approaching 
fate.  This  affecting  sight  drew  tears  from  his  eyes  ;  but 
soon  recollecting  himself,  and  striking  his  breast  with  his 
hand,  he  said,  '*  ah !  flesh,  stayest  thou  me  ?  wouldst 
thou  fain  prevail  ?  well,  do  what  thou  canst :  by  God's 
grace,  thou  shalt  not  get  the  victory." 

As  soon  as  he  arrived  at  the  stake,  he  fell  on  his  knees, 
and  kissed  the  earth,  saying,  "  earth  to  earth,  and  dust  to 
dust ;  thou  art  my  mother,  to  thee  I  must  return." 

When  he  was  fastened  to  the  stake,  and  the  straw, 
reeds,  and  wood  were  placed  around  him,  a  priest  ap- 
pointed for  the  purpose,  stood  up  and  harangued  the 
spectators,  who  were  exceedingly  numerous,  it  being 
market,  day. 

The  priest  having  finished  his  discourse,  in  which  he 
inveighed  against  the  opinion  of  the  protestants  concern- 
ing the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  our  martyr  rebuked  him, 
proved  his  doctrine  to  be  false,  and  cited,  as  his  authority 
those  words  of  our  Lord,  "  do  this  in  remembrance  of 
me." 

The  fire  being  kindled,  he  was  soon  surrounded  by  the 
flames,  in  the  midst  of  which,  this  good  old  man  (for  he 
was  sixty  years  of  age)  held  up  his  hands  till  the  sinews 
shrunk,  crying  earnestly,  ''  O  Lord,  receive  my  soul!  O 
Lord,  receive  my  sph'it !"  The  flames  were  so  vehement 
about  his  legs,  that  they  were  almost  consumed,  before  the 
upper  part  of  his  body  caught  the  fire  ;  notwithstanding 
which,  he  bore  his  suflTerings  with  the  greatest  composure 
and  resignation,  cheerfully  resigning  his  soul  into  the 
hands  of  him  who  gave  it,  in  sure  and  certain  hopes  of 
being  hereafter  rewarded  with  a  crown  of  eternal  life- 


PERSICUTID    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  267 

The  persecution  and  martyrdom  of  George  Marsh,  a  min- 
ister of  the  gospel. 

This  eminent  and  pious  divine  was  descended  from 
poor,  but  honest  and  religious  parents,  who  educated  him 
from  his  earhest  years,  in  the  principles  of  the  reformed 
religion  ;  so  that  when  he  arrived  at  manhood,  he  was 
well  versed  in  the  doctrines  of  the  pure  gospel  of  Christ. 

At  the  first  set  off  in  life,  he  followed  the  business  of 
farming  ;  and,  by  his  honest  endeavours,  maintained  his 
family  with  decency  and  reputation  for  some  years  :  but 
on  the  decease  of  his  wife,  beingjdisposed  to  study,  he  pla- 
ced his  children  widi  his  father,  quitted  his  farm,  and 
went  to  Cambridge,  where  he  made  such  a  progress  in 
literature,  that  he  soon  entered  into  holy  orders. 

He  officiated  as  curate  in  several  parishes  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Lancaster  ;  kept  a  school  at  Dean ;  and  was  a 
jicalous  promoter  of  the  true  religion,  as  well  as  a  vigor- 
ous opposer  of  the  idolatries  of  the  church  of  Rome,  du- 
ring the  reign  of  king  Edward  VL  But  when  pope- 
ry raised  its  destructive  head,  he,  among  many  others, 
became  the  object  of  its  persecution,  as  one  that  propa- 
gated doctrines  contrary  to  the  infallible  church,  and 
therefore  liable  to  the  severest  censure  and  punishment. 

Marsh,  on  hearing  that  search  was  made  after  him, 
absconded  for  some  time,  and  in  his  retirement,  often 
deliberated  with  himself,  whether  he  should  fly  abroad 
to  save  his  life,  or  surrender  himself  up,  in  order  to  ward 
off  the  mischief  which  threatened  his  mother  and  broth- 
er, who  were  supposed  to  have  concealed  him  from  the 
persons  employed  to  search  out  heretics. 

During  this  unsettled  state  of  his  mind,  he  consulted 
with  his  friends,  and  earnestly  sought  direction  of  God, 
that  he  might  be  guided  in  the  way,  which  most  condu- 
ced to  his  glory,  and  his  own  spiritual  and  eternal  interest. 

At  length,  thinking  that  flight  would  evince  cowardice 
in  the  best  of  causes,  he  determined,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
to  abide  by  the  consequences,  and,  acccordingly,  surren- 
dered himself  to  the  earl  of  Derby  at  his  seat  at  Latham, 
m  tlie  countv  of  Lancaster. 


26S  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

When  he  was  brought  into  the  earl's  presence,  he  was 
charged  with  propagating  heresy,  and  sowing  sedition 
amongst  the  people  ;  but  he  denied  the  charge,  and  de- 
clared, that  he  preached  no  other  doctrine  than  what  was 
contained  in  the  word  of  God,  and  that  he  always  en- 
forced  allegiance  to  his  sovereign,  according  to  the  will 
of  God. 

Being  asked  to  deliver  a  summary  of  his  belief,  he  de- 
clared, that  he  believed  in  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  according  to  the  creeds  of  the  apostles,  the  coun- 
cil of  Nice,  and  the  saints  Athanasius,  Austin,  and  Am- 
brose. 

A  Romish  priest,  who  was  present,  then  proceeded 
to  inquire  his  opinion  concerning  the  favourite  tenet  of 
the  church  of  Rome,  relating  to  the  sacrament.  Marsh 
answered  in  general,  that  he  believed  whosoever  receiv- 
ed the  holy  sacrament  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ, 
according  to  his  own  appointment,  did  eat  and  drink  his 
body  and  blood,  with  all  the  benefits  arising  from  the  same, 
because  our  Lord  was  ever  present  at  his  own  ordinances. 

This  general  reply  not  appearing  satisfactory,  they  de- 
scended to  particulars,  and  peremptorily  demanded  his 
opinion,  whether  or  not  the  elements  were  changed  into 
the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ  after  consecration. — ■ 
Our  martyr  briefly  observed,  that  what  he  believed  he 
had  already  declared,  and  desired  them  not  to  propose  to 
him  such  hard  and  unprofitable  questions,  in  order  to  en- 
danger his  life,  and,  as  it  were,  to  suck  from  him  his  ve- 
ry blood. 

Incensed  at  this  reply,  the  earl  told  him,  that  instead  of 
seeking  his  destruction,  he  meant  to  preserve  his  life  in 
this  world,  and  secure  his  happiness  in  that  which  is  to 
come,  by  converting  him  from  damnable  errors  and  her- 
esies, and  bringing  him  over  to  the  holy  mother-church 
put  of  which  there  was  no  salvation. 

After  many  questions  and  exhortations,  finding  he  still 
persevered  in  the  faith  which  opposed  that  of  the  infalli- 
ble church,  the  earl  gave  him  pen  and  ink,  and  ordered 
|iim  to  writedown  his  belief  concerning  the  sacrament  of 
|lie  altar;  and,  on  his  writing  just  what  he  had  before  deliv- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  269 

cred,  he  was  commanded  to  be  more  particular,  when  he 
wrote  only  the  following  words  :   "  further  I  know  not.'* 

This  resolute  behaviour  exposed  him  to  the  keenest 
resentment  of  his  popish  persecutors,  who  committed 
him  to  prison,  and  suffered  no  one  to  come  near  him,  but 
the  keeper,  who  brought  him  daily  the  scanty  allowance 
of  the  place. 

Various  attempts  were  made,  during  his  confinement, 
to  bring  him  to  a  recantation  ;  but  as  he  still  remained 
fixed  and  determined  in  his  faith,  they  administered  to 
him  the  four  following  articles,  to  which,  the  earl  declar- 
ed, if  he  would  not  subscribe,  he  should  be  sent  to  the 
county  gaol,  and  proceeded  against  with  the  utmost  se- 
verity : 

*'  1.  Whether  the  mass  now  used,  in  the  church  of 
England,  was*  according  to  Christ's  institution,  and  with 
faith,  reverence,  and  devotion,  to  be  heard  and  seen  ? 

*'  2.  Whether  Almighty  God,  by  the  words  pronoun- 
ced by  the  priest,  did  change  the  bread  and  wine,  after 
the  words  of  consecration,  into  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ,  whether  it  were  received  or  reserved  ? 

"  3.  Whether  the  lay-people  ought  to  receive  but  un- 
der the  form  of  bread  only,  and  that  the  one  kind  was 
sufficient  for  them  ? 

"  4.  Whether  confession  to  the  priest  now  used  in 
England,  was  godly  and  necessary  ? 

Having  retired  for  some  time  to  consider  of  these  arti- 
cles, he  returned,  and  delivered  his  opinion  of  them  as 
follows : 

The  first  he  absolutely  denied. 

The  second  he  answered  in  the  very  words  he  had  be- 
fore written. 

With  respect  to  the  third,  he  declared,  that  lay-people, 
according  to  the  institution  of  Christ,  ought  to  receive 
under  both  kinds,  and  that,  therefore,  to  receive  under 
one  kind  only  was  not  sufficient. 

To  the  last  he  observed,  that  though  auricular  con- 
fession was  a  good  means  to  instruct  ignorant  people,  it 
was  not  necessary  to  sahation,  because  not  commanded 
by  God. 


270  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

To  these  points  he  added,  that  his  faith  in  Christ, 
founded  on  the  infaUible  word  of  the  only  living  and  true 
God,  he  never  would  deny  at  the  instance  of  any  living 
creature,  or  through  fear  of  any  punishment  whatsoever  ; 
and  moreover  desired  of  the  earl,  that  his  friends  might 
be  permitted  to  see  him  during  his  confinement. 

In  a  few  days,  he  was  committed  to  Lancaster  gaol, 
laid  in  irons,  and  arraigned  at  the  bar  with  the  common 
felons,  where  they  endeavoured  to  extort  from  him  in- 
formation of  several  persons  in  that  country,  whom  they 
suspected  of  maintaining  heretical  opinions  ;  but  no 
means  could  prevail  with  him  to  utter  a  Avord  that  might 
endanger  the  lives  or  liberties  of  his  faithful  brethren  m 
Christ. 

He  was  severely  reprimanded  for  reading  aloud  to  the 
people  (who  flocked  every  morning  and  evening  under  the 
prison  window)  the  litany  and  prayers  of  the  reformed 
church,  together  with  select  passages  of  holy  writ  in  the 
English  tongue,  which  they  termed  preaching,  and,  there- 
fore, deemed  criminal. 

After  remaining  some  weeks  in  confinement  at  Lancas- 
ter, he  was  removed  to  Chester,  and  placed  in  the  bishop's 
liberty,  where  his  lordship  frequently  conferred  with  him, 
and  used  his  utmost  endeavours  to  bring  him  to  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  corporal  presence  in  the  sacrament 
of  the  altar,  the  mass,  confession,  and,  in  short,  all  the  ten- 
ets and  practices  of  the  church  of  Rome. 

When  the  bishop  found  he  would  not  assent  to  a  single 
point,  he  remanded  him  to  prison ;  and,  in  a  few  days, 
summoned  him  before  him  in  the  cathedral  church  of 
Chester,  where,  in  the  presence  of  the  mayor,  chancellor, 
and  principal  inhabitants  of  that  city,  both  laity  and  cler- 
gy, he  caused  him  to  take  a  solemn  oath,  to  answer  truly 
to  such  articles  as  might  be  alleged  against  him. 

After  he  was  sworn,  the  chancellor  accused  him  of  hav- 
ing preached  and  published  most  heretically  and  blasphe- 
mously, within  the  parishes  of  Dean,  Eccles,  Berry,  and 
many  other  parishes  within  the  bisliop's  diocess,  directly 
against  the  pope's  authority,  the  catholic  church  pf  Rome, 
the  mass,  and  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  with  many  arti- 
cles. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  271 

To  all  these  charges,  Marsh  answered  in  brief,  that  he 
had  neither  heretically  nor  blasphemously  preached  or 
published  against  any  of  the  articles,  but  as  occasion  serv- 
ed ;  and  as  his  conscience  obliged  him  to  maintain  the 
truth,  as  declared  in  God's  word,  and  as  all  then  present 
had  acknowledged  in  the  preceding  reign.) 

Being  examined  as  to  every  particular  article,  he  mod- 
estly answered,  according  to  the  doctrine  publicly  tauglit 
in  the  reign  of  king  Edward  VI. 

After  a  confinement  of  three  weeks  longer  in  prison, 
Marsh  was  again  brought  mto  the  cathedral,  where  the 
chancellor  made  a  formal  harangue  on  the  bishop's  care 
of  his  flock,  in  order  to  prevent  infection  from  scabby 
sheep,  and  the  like;  which  ended,  the  former  articles  were 
propounded  to  him  ;  and  to  which  he  severally  answered 
in  the  negative. 

Being  charged  with  having  declared,  that  the  church 
and  doctrine  taught  and  set  forth  in  king  Edward's  time, 
was  the  true  church  ;  and  that  the  church  of  Rome  is  not 
the  true  catholic  church  :  he  acknowledged  the  declara- 
tion, and  ratified  it  by  a  repetition. 

Several  persons  present  taking  occasion  to  ask  him,  (as 
he  denied*the  bishop  of  Rome's  authority  in  England,) 
whether  Linus,  Anacletus,  and  Clement,  who  were  bish- 
ops of  Rome,  were  not  good  men  ;  he  replied  in  the  affir- 
mative, but  reminded  them,  that  they  claimed  no  more 
authority  in  England  than  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury 
doth  in  Rome. 

As  this  observation  highly  reflected  on  the  validity  of 
the  papal  supremacy,  the  bishop  w^as  so  incensed,  that  he 
gave  Marsh  very  abusive  language,  calling  him  a  most 
damnable,  irreclaimable,  and  unpardonable  heretic. 

In  return  for  this,  Marsh  mildly  expostulated  with  the 
bishop,  telling  him,  if  he  could  be  persuaded,  in  his  own 
conscience,  that  the  articles  proposed  to  him  were  found- 
ed on  God's  word,  he  would  gladly  yield  in  every  point; 
declaring,  that  he  held  no  heretical  opinion,  but  utterly 
abhorred  every  kind  of  heresy  ;  and  then  called  all  pre- 
sent to  bear  witness,  that,  in  the  articles  of  religion,  he 
held  no  other  opinion  than  what  was  by  law  established. 


272  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

and  publicly  taught  in  England,  at  the  death  of  king  Ed^ 
ward  the  sixth  ;  and  that,  in  such  religion  and  doctrines, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  he  would  stand,  live,  and  die. 

He  was  then,  for  tlie  last  time,  asked,  whether  he  would 
stand  to  the  same,  being  full  of  heresies,  or  forsake  them, 
and  return  to  the  catholic  church  ?  and  on  his  heartily  de- 
claring he  would  continue  steadfast  and  immoveable  in 
the  faith  of  God's  word,  nor  ever  return  to  any  church 
that  was  not  founded  on  scripture  authority,  the  bishop 
began  to  read  his  sentence  of  condemnation,  but  was  in- 
terrupted by  the  chancellor,  in  order  to  give  him  yet  an 
opportunity  of  recanting. 

He  resolutely  withstood  the  earnest  entreaties  of  several 
people,  who  desired  him  to  accept  of  the  proffered  mercy; 
nor  could  even  the  repeated  exhortations  of  the  bishop 
and  chancellor  prevail  with  this  eminent  servant  of  Christ, 
to  deny  his  Lord  and  master,  and  submit  to  the  usurpa- 
tion of  cruel,  tyrannical  men. 

All  endeavours  proving  ineffectual,  the  bishop  proceed- 
ed in  passing  sentence,  which  being  ended,  Marsh  was 
delivered  up  to  the  sheriffs,  who  conveyed  him  to  the 
North-gate  prison,  where  he  was  confined  in  a  dungeon 
till  the  day  of  his  execution. 

On  the  4th  of  the  month  called  April,  1555,  this  firm 
believer  was  led  to  the  place  appointed  for  the  bloody 
scene,  amidst  a  crowd  of  lamenting  spectators.  It  was 
near  a  village  called  Spital-Boughton,  at  a  small  distance 
from  Chester.  As  soon  as  he  arrived  at  the  place,  the 
chamberlain  of  that  city  shewed  him  a  box,  containing 
the  queen's  pardon,  on  condition  that  he  would  recant. 
Our  martyr  coolly  answered,  that  he  would  gladly  accept 
the  same,  (for  he  loved  the  queen)  but  as  it  tended  to 
pluck  him  from  God,  who  was  King  of  kings,  and  Lord 
of  lords,  he  could  not  receive  it  on  such  terms. 

Then  turning  to  the  spectators,  he  told  them  the  cause 
of  the  cruel  death  which  awaited  him,  and  exhorted  them 
to  remain  steadfast  in  the  faith  of  Christ ;  which  done, 
he  kneeled  on  the  ground,  directed  his  prayer  to  God, 
for  strength  equal  to  the  fiery  trial,  arose,  and  was  chain- 


i^feRSfeCUTEb    BY    tHE    PAPlStS,  273 

cd  to  the  stake,  having  a  number  of  fagots  under  him,  and 
a  cask  full  of  pitch  and  tar  hanging  over  his  head. 

The  fire  being  kindled,  he  suffered,  for  a  considerable 
time,  the  most  exquisite  torture,  his  flesh  being  so  broil- 
ed, and  puffed  up,  that  those  who  stood  before  him  could 
not  see  the  chain  with  which  he  was  fastened.  'At  length, 
with  the  utmost  fortitude,  he  spread  fordi  his  arms,  and 
said,  with  a  voice  to  be  universally  heard  by  the  specta- 
tors, *' Father  of  heaven,  have  mercy  upon  me."  Soon 
after  which,  he  yielded  up  his  spirit  into  the  hands  of  him 
who  gave  it. 

Thus  died,  in  confirmation  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  a 
sincere  believer,  raising,  by  his  patient  resignation,  the 
wonder  and  astonishment  of  all  that  saw  him  suffer,  the 
greater  part  of  whom  cried  out  with  ecstasy,  "  of  a  truths 
God  is  with  him," 

This  pious  christian,  during  the  course  of  his  confine- 
ment, wrote  the  particulars  of  his  respective  examina-* 
tions  before  his  bloody  persecutors  ;  as  also  a  great  num- 
ber of  letters  to  different  people,  among  which,  we  shall 
copy  the  following : 


*/f  letter  from  George  Marsh,  to  several  ofhisfriejills,  im- 
mediately after  the  close  of  his  last  examination, 

"Here  you  have,  dearly  beloved  friends  in  Christ,  the 
chief  and  principal  articles  of  christian  doctrine,  briefly 
touched,  which  heretofore  I  have  both  believed,  profess- 
ed, and  taught,  and  as  yet  do  believe,  profess,  and  teach  ; 
iind  am  surely  purposed,  by  God's  grace,  to  continue  in 
the  same  until  the  last  day.  I  do  want  both  time  and  op- 
portunity to  write  out,  at  large,  the  probations,  causes, 
parts,  and  effects  of  tJiose  articles  ;  which,  whoso  desireth 
to  know,  let  them  read  over  the  common  places  of  the  pi- 
ous, learned  men,  Philip  Melancthon,  and  Erasmus  Sar- 
cerius,  whose  judgment,  in  these  matters  of  religion,  I  do 
chiefly  follow  and  lean  unto.  The  Lord  give  us  under- 
standing in  all  things,  and  deliver  us  from  tliis  evil  world, 
according  to  his  will  and  pleasure,  aiKl  bring  us  again  out 

2   N 


274  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS, 

of  this  hell  of  affliction,  into  which,  it  hath  pleased  the 
merciful  Lord  to  throw  us  down  :  and  deliver  us  out  of 
the  mouth  of  the  Lion,  and  from  all  evil  doing,  and  keep 
us  unto  his  everlasting  and  heavenly  kingdom.     Amen^ 

*'  Though  satan  be  suffered,  as  wheat,  to  sift  us  for  a 
time,  yet  our  faith  faileth  not  through  Christ's  aid,  but  that 
wc  are,  at  all  times,  able  and  ready  to  confirm  the  faith 
of  our  weak  brethren,  and  always  ready  to  give  an  answer 
to  every  man  that  asketh  us  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is 
in  us,  and  that  with  meekness  and  reverence,  having  a 
good  conscience  ;  and  whereas  they  backbite  us  as  evil- 
doers, they  may  be  ashamed,  forasmuch  as  they  have 
falsely  accused  our  good  conversation  in  Christ.  I  thought 
myself  now,  of  late  years,  for  the  cares  of  this  life,  well 
settled  with  my  loving  and  faithful  wife  and  children,  and 
also  wellquietted  in  the  peaceable  possession  of  that  pleas- 
ant Euphrates,  I  do  confess  it :  but  the  Lord,  who  work - 
eth  all  things  for  the  best  to  them  that  love  him,  would 
not  there  leave  me,  but  did  take  my  dear  and  beloved 
wife  from  me  ;  whose  death  was  a  painful  cross  to  my 
flesh. 

"  Also,  I  thought  myself  now,  of  late  years,  well  placed 
mider  my  most  loving  and  most  gentle  Laurence  Saun- 
ders, in  the  cure  of  Langhton.  But  the  Lord,  of  his  great 
mercy,  would  not  suiFer  me  long  there  to  continue  (al- 
though for  the  small  time  I  was  in  this  vineyard,  I  was 
not  an  idle  workman).  But  he  hath  provided  me,  I  per- 
ceive it,  to  taste  of  a  far  other  cup  ;  for  by  violence  hath 
he  yet,  once  again,  driven  me  out  of  that  glorious  Baby- 
lon, that  I  should  not  taste  too  much  of  her  wanton  pleas- 
ures, but  with  his  most  dearly  beloved  disciples,  to  have 
my  inward  rejoicing  in  the  cross  of  his  son  Jesus  Christ. 
The  glory  of  whose  church,  I  see  it  well,  standeth  not  in 
the  harmonious  sound  of  the  bells  and  organs,  nor  yet  in 
the  glittering  of  mitres  and  copes,  neither  in  the  shining  of 
gilt  images  and  lights  (as  the  blind  papists  do  judge  it) 
but  in  continual  labours,  and  daily  afflictions,  for  his  name 
sake. 

"  God,  at  this  present,  here  in  England,  hath  his  fim  in 
hand,  and  after  his  great  harvest,  whereinto  these  years 


PIRSECUTED     BY    THE    PAPISTS.  275 

past  he  hath  sent  his  labourers,  is  now  sifting  tlie  corn 
from  the  chaff,  and  purging  his  floor,  and  ready  to  gather 
the  wheat  into  his  garner,  and  burn  up  the  cliaff*  with  un- 
quenchable  fire. 

*'  Take  heed,  and  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  scribes, 
and  of  the  sadduces  ;  I  mean  the  erroneous  doctrines  of 
the  papists,  which,  with  their  glosses,  deprave  the  scrip- 
tures ;  for,  as  the  apostle  St.  Peter  doth  teach  us,  "  there 
diall  be  false  teachers  amongst  you,  who  privily  shall  bring 
in  damnable  heresies  :  and  many  shall  follow  their  perni- 
cious ways,  by  reason  of  whom  the  way  of  truth  shall  be 
evil  spoken  of,  and  through  covetousness,  shall  they,  with 
feigned  words,  make  merchandise  of  you:"  and  Christ 
earnestly  warneth  us,  to  "  beware  of  false  prophets,  which 
come  to  you  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are 
ravening  wolves.  Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits." 
The  fruits  of  the  prophets  are  their  doctrine.  In  this 
place,  are  we  christians  taught,  that  we  should  try  the 
preachers,  and  others  that  come  under  a  colour,  to  set 
forth  true^  religion  unto  us  ;  according  to  the  saying  of 
St.  Paul,  "  prove  all  things,  hold  fast  that  which  is  good." 
Also  the  evangelist  St.  John,  saith,  *'  believe  not  every 
spirit,  but  try  the  spirits,  whether  they  are  of  God  ;  be- 
cause many  false  prophets  are  gone  out  into  the  world." 
Therefore,  if  thou  wilt  know  the  true  prophets  from  the 
false,  try  their  doctrine  by  the  true  touchstone,  which  is 
the  word  of  God  :  and  as  the  pious  Bereans  did,  search 
ye  the  scriptures,  whether  those  things  which  be  preach- 
ed  unto  you,  be  even  so  or  not ;  or  else  by  the  outward 
conversation  of  them,  ye  may  easily  be  deceived." 


A  letter  from  George  Marsh  to  a  friend  unknown. 

'*  Grace  be  with  you,and  peace  be  multiplied  in  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  Jesus  the  Lord. 

"  After  hearty  conmiendations,  and  thanks  to  you,  not 
only  for  your  large  token,  but  much  more  for  your  lov- 
ing letters,  full  of  consolation  to  me,  as  touching  my  per- 
son, to  you  unknown  :  these  shall  be  to  certifv  vou,  that  I 


276  PERSECUTED    BY    TJIE    PAPISTS. 

rejoice  greatly  in  the  Lord,  when  I  do  perceive  how  my 
sweet  Saviour  Christ  doth  stir  up  the  minds,  not  only  of 
my  familiar  friends  in  time  past,  but  also  of  sundry  and 
divers,  heretofore  unto  me  unknown  and  unacquainted, 
to  bear  part  with  me  in  this  my  painful  and  costly  im- 
prisonment, sending  me  things  not  only  necessary  for  this 
present  life,  but  also  comfortable  letters,  encouraging  and 
exhorting  me  to  continue  grounded  and  established  in  the 
faith,  and  not  to  be  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the  gos- 
pel, whereof,  according  to  my  small  talent,  I  have  been  a 
minister  ;  and  daily  I  call  and  cry  unto  the  Lord,  in 
whom  is  all  my  trust.  And  without  whom,  I  can  do  noth- 
ing :  that  he,  which  hath  begun  a  work  in  me,  would 
vouchsafe  to  gp  forth  with  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ, 
being  surely  certified  in  my  conscience  of  this,  that  he 
will  so  do,  forasmuch  as  he  hath  given  me,  that  not  only 
I  should  believe  on  him,  but  also  suffer  for  his  sake. 
The  Lord  strengthen  me,  with  his  holy  spirit,  that  I  may 
be  one  of  the  number  of  those  blessed,  which  enduring 
to  the  end  shall  be  saved. 

*^  And  whereas  you  say,  that  my  suffering  of  persecution 
with  Christ  is  a  thing  to  you  most  comfortable,  I  make 
answer,  that  in  all  mine  adversity  and  necessity,  nothing 
on  your  behalf  is  greater  consolation  unto  me,  than  to 
hear  of  the  faith  and  love  of  others,  and  how  they  have 
good  remembrance  of  us  always.  For  my  trust  in  the 
Lord  is,  that  this  my  business  shall  happen  to  the  further- 
ance of  the  gospel ;  and  that  you  will  be  none  of  those 
forgetful  and  hypocritical  hearers,  whereof  some  being 
but  way-side  hearers,  the  devil  cometh,  and  taketh  away 
the  vv^ord  out  of  their  hearts,  lest  they  should  believe  and 
be  saved,  (but  let  prayer  be  made  without  ceasing,  by  the 
congregation  unto  God  for  them)  ;  and,  no  doubt,  God 
will,  to  your  consolation,  gloriously  deliver,  by  one  means 
or  other,  his  oppressed.  Only  tarry  ye  the  Lord's  leisure: 
be  strong  :  let  your  hearts  be  of  good  comfort :  and  wait 
ye  still  for  the  Lord.  He  tarrieth  not  that  will  come:  look 
for  him,  therefore  ;  and  faint  not,  and  he  will  never  fail 
you.  Yours, 

George  Marsh." 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  277 

The  Martyrdom  of  William  Flower^  whoy  for  striking  a 
Priest,  had  his  right  hand  cut  offy  and  was  afterwards 
burntjfor  his  steadfast  adherence  to  the  truth, 

Wii-LiAM  Flower  was  born  at  a  place  called  Snow- 
hill,  in  the  county  of  Cambridge.  He  was  educated  in 
the  Roman  catholic  persuasion  ;  and  being  brought  up 
to  the  church,  wlien,  at  a  proper  age,  he  was  admitted 
into  orders,  and  became  a  professed  monk  in  the  abbey 
of  Ely. 

After  residing  some  time  in  the  monastery,  he  threw 
off  the  monkish  habit ;  became  a  secular  priest ;  returned 
to  the  place  of  his  nativity  ;  and  officiated  for  some  years, 
in  a  clerical  capacity. 

In  process  of  time,  on  a  serious  review  of  the  sacred 
scriptures,  and  candid  comparisons  of  them  with  the  doc- 
trines and  practices  of  the  Romish  church,  he  began  to 
doubt  of  the  authenticity  of  the  latter  ;  and,  on  a  fardier 
inspection,  finding  them  wholly  repugnant  to  the  word  of 
God,  and  founded  on  the  mere  inventions  of  men,  he  ab- 
jured them,  and  earnestly  embraced  the  doctrines  of  the 
reformation. 

After  having  thus  departed  from  the  Romish  church, 
he  came  to  London,  and  took  up  his  residence  at  Lam- 
beth, where  he  married,  and  kept  a  school  for  his  liveli- 
hood. 

Going  one  day  from  Lambeth  to  Westminster,  he  went 
into  St.  Margaret's  church,  at  the  time  that  mass  was 
performing.  As  he  refused  to  kneel  at  the  elevation  of 
the  host,  he  was  severely  reprimanded  by  the  priest ;  at 
which.  Flower  was  so  irritated,  that  he  struck  him  on  the 
head,  the  priest  having,  at  the  same  time,  in  his  hand  a 
chalice,  containing  some  consecrated  wafers. 

As  his  behaviour,  on  this  occasion,  proceeded  rather 
from  rash  zeal  than  well-grounded  knowledge,  he  sub- 
mitted  himfelf  to  the  award  of  bishop  Bonner,  willing  to 
endure,  for  his  folly,  whatever  punishment  he  should 
tliink  proper  to  inflict. 

The  bishop  would  have  mitigated  his  punishment  for 
the   crime   he  had  committed  on  the  priest,  if  he  would 


278  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

have  subscribed  to  the  popish  faith  ;  but  that  he  would 
not  consent  to,  on  any  terms  whatever  ;  in  consequence 
of  which,  he  was  committed  a  prisoner  to  the  Gate- 
house. 

After  remaining  some  time  in  prison,  he  was  brought 
before  the  bishop,  who  administered  to  him,  on  oath,  sev- 
eral articles.  But  not  answering  satisfactorily  to  these, 
he  was  committed  to  the  Fleet-prison,  when  he  was 
brought  before  the  warden,  and  found  guilty  of  abusing  a 
priest  in  the  duty  of  his  office,  and  also  of  maintaining 
damnable  heresies. 

He  was  again  brought  before  the  bishop,  who  used  the 
most  forcible  arguments  to  induce  him  to  recant ;  but 
these  all  proving  ineffectual,  he  asked  him,  if  he  knew  any 
matter,  or  cause,  why  sentence  should  not  be  pronounced 
against  him  as  a  heretic?  To  which,  he  answered,  "  I 
have  nothing  at  all  to  say,  for  I  have  already  said  unto  you 
all  that  I  had  to  say  ;  and  that  I  have  said,  I  will  not  go 
from  :  and,  therefore,  do  what  you  will." 

The  bishop  then  proceeded  to  the  sentence,  condemn- 
ing  and  excommunicating  him  as  a  heretic ;  after 
w  hich,  he  was  degraded,  and  delivered  over  to  the  secu- 
lar power. 

The  24th  of  the  month  called  April,  was  the  day  ap- 
pointed for  his  execution,  and  the  place  St.  Margaret's 
church  yard,  Westminster.  On  the  morning  of  the  fatal 
day,  he  was  led  to  the  stake,  amidst  a  prodigious  number 
of  spectators.  Immediately  on  his  arrival  at  the  place,  he 
kneeled  down,  and  prayed  to  God,  acknowledging  his 
faith,  as  follows  : 

"  O  Eternal  God,  most  mighty  and  merciful  Father,  who 
has  sent  down  thy  Son  upon  the  earth,  to  save  me,  and 
all  mankind  ;  who  ascended  up  into  heaven  again,  and 
left  his  blood  upon  the  earth  behind  him,  for  the  redemp- 
tion of  our  sins,  have  mercy  upon  me,  have  mercy  upon 
me,  for  thy  dear  son  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  in 
whom,  I  confess  only  to  be  all  salvation  and  justification, 
and  that  there  is  no  other  means,  nor  way,  nor  holiness, 
in  which,  or  by  which,  any  man  can  be  saved  in  this  world. 
This  is  my  faith,  which  I  beseech  all  men  here  to  bear 
witness  of."" 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  279 

He  then  repeated  the  Lord's  Prayer  very  deUberately, 
and  with  an  audible  voice ;  after  which,  he  arose,  and 
prepared  himself  for  undergoing  the  destined  punish- 
Uaent. 

A  Romish  priest,  who  was  present,  desired  him  to  re- 
cant his  heresy,  and  thereby  save  his  life  :  to  whom,  he 
said,  *'sir,  I  beseech  you,  for  God's  sake,  to  be  content- 
ed ;  for  that  I  have  said,  I  have  said  ;  and  I  trust  to  the 
living  God;  he  will  give  me  his  holy  spirit  to  continue  to 
the  end." 

He  then  desired  all  the  world  to  forgive  him,  whom  he 
had  offended,  as  he,  from  his  heart  forgave  all  the  world. 

This  done,  he  was  chained  to  the  stake,  and  his  left  hand 
fastened  to  his  side.  The  other  hand,  with  which  he  had 
struck  the  priest,  was  then  held  up,  and  cut  off,  the  blood 
plentifully  gushing  from  the  wrist ;  which  punishment  he 
bore  without  the  least  apparent  emotion.  The  fagots 
were  then  piled  round  him,  and  being  immediately  kindled, 
he  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  *'  O  the  Son  of  God,  have 
mercy  upon  me;  O  the  Son  of  God,  receive  my  soul." 
These  words  he  repeated  three  times,  when  the  violence 
of  the  smoke  took  away  his  speech  ;  but  he  still  shew- 
ed the  spectators,  that  he  was  not  yet  deprived  of  life, 
by  holding  up  the  arm  from  whence  the  hand  had  been 
cut,  with  the  other,  as  long  as  he  was  able.  There  not 
being  a  sufficiency  of  fagots,  he  underwent  great  torture, 
the  lower  parts  being  consumed  a  considerable  time  be- 
fore the  others  were  scarcely  affected.  At  length,  how- 
ever, they  finished  his  miseries,  by  striking  him  a  violent 
blow  on  the  head,  A\-hich  brought  the  upper  part  of  him 
into  the  fire  ;  and,  in  this  dreadful  manner,  he  yielded  up 
his  life. 


280  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  sufferings  and  Martyrdom  of  John  Cardvfiaker^  Priest i 
and  John  Warne^  Upholder. 

John  Cardmaker  was  educated  in  the  Romish  relig- 
ion ;  and,  for  some  years,  was  a  friar  of  the  order  of  St* 
Francis.  After  the  dissokition  of  reHgious  houses  by  Hen- 
ry VIII,  he  attended  with  such  dihgence  to  the  preaching 
and  writing  of  pious,  learned  divines,  that  he  became  a 
convert  to  the  protestant  faith,  obtained  a  living  in  the  re- 
formed church,  and  was  an  eminent  preacher  of  the  gos» 
pel. 

In  the  reign  of  Edward  VI,  he  was  appointed  reader  at 
St.  Paul's,  and  prebendary  of  Wells,  in  which  functions,  he 
continued  indefatigable,  till  the  accession  of  queen  Mary, 
when  he  was  apprehended,  together  with  the  bishop  of 
Wells,  and  committed  to  the  Fleet,  though  the  laws  of  king 
Edward  were  then  in  full  force. 

When  the  papal  supremacy  and  jurisdiction  prevailed 
in  England,  and  bishops  had  authority,  by  virtue  of  the 
statute,  ex  officio^  to  proceed  against  heretics,  Cardmaker 
was  removed  from  the  Fleet  to  the  Compter,  where  he  con- 
tracted an  acquaintance  with  Laurence  Saunders,  (already 
mentioned)  by  whom  he  was  animated  and  encouraged  to 
continue  steadfast  in  his  faith  and  profession. 

In  process  of  time,  he  was  summoned  to  appear  before 
the  arrogant  and  cruel  Bonner,  who  alleged  against  him 
divers  charges,  which,  with  Cardmaker's  answers,  were  as 
follows  : 

1.  That  after  his  professing  the  Roman  catholic  religion, 
and  entering  into  holy  orders,  he  took  a  wife,  and  had  by 
her  a  female  child,  thereby  breaking  his  vow,  and  the  order 
and  ordinance  of  the  church. 

The  first  part  of  this  charge  he  allowed,  but  denied  his 
having  broken  any  vow  by  his  marriage  ;  because  he  was 
allowed  to  marry,  both  by  the  laws  of  the  realm,  and  also 
by  the  laws  of  the  church  of  England. 

2.  That  he  believed  and  taught,  and  did  still  believe, 
that  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  under  the  visible  si^ns, 
that  is,  under  the  forms  of  bread  and  wine,  there  is  really 
s»nd  truly  the  true  and  natural  body  of  our  Saviour  Christ. 


PERSECUTED    BY     THE     PAPISTS.  281 

He  replied,  that  he  h:\d  believed  and  taught  it  as  con. 
tained  in  this  article,  but  he  did  not  then  so  believe  and 
teach. 

3.  That  the  belief  of  the  catholic  church  is,  that  having 
the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  really  and  truly  contained  in 
the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  is  to  have,  by  the  omnipotent 
power  of  Almighty  God,  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ 
there  invisibly,  but  really  present  under  the  same  sacra- 
ment, and  to  make  thereby  a  new  God,  or  a  new  Christ,  or 
a  new  body  of  Chiist. 

The  whole  of  tins  he  denied. 

4.  That  it  may  stand  well  together,  the  faith  of  tlie  Cath- 
olic church  is,  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  visibly  and  <:ruly 
ascended  into  heaven,  and  there  is,  in  the  visible  form  of 
his  humanity  ;  and  yet  the  same  body  in  substance,  is  iiv 
visibly  and  truly  contained  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

All  this  he  denied  as  absurd  and  unscriptural. 

5.  That  Christ,  at  his  last  supper,  taking  bread  into  his 
hands,  breaking,  and  giving  it  to  his  apostles,  saying, 
"  take  eat,  this  is  my  body,"  did  institute  a  sacrament 
there,  willing  that  his  body,  really  and  only,  should  be 
contained  in  the  said  sacrament ;  no  substa.nce  of  biead 
and  wine  there  remaining. 

To  the  first  part,  he  assented,  but  denied  the  latter  part ; 
and  to  these  his  answers,  he  subscribed  his  name. 

For  persisting  in  these  answers,  he  was  condemned  and 
sent  to  Newgate,  where  he  was  visited  by  a  messenger, 
from  the  council,  to  know  whether  or  not  he  would  recant. 

He  told  the  messenger,  that  since  God,  of  his  mercv, 
had  opened  his  eyes  to  see  his  eternal  truth,  he  had  called 
upon  his  name,  to  give  him  his  grace  to  undersu.nd  his 
word,  and  was  determined,  by  the  aid  of  the  same  grace, 
to  continue  steadfast  in  the  same. 

After  some  debate,  concerning  the  corporeal  presence 
in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  the  messenger,  finding  Card- 
maker  inilexible  in  his  opinion,  departed,  and  acquainted 
the  couneil  with  the  result  of  his  message. 

John  AVarne,  fellow-martyr  with  Cardmaker,  was  by 
trade  an  upholder,  and  lived  with  great  credit  and  reputa- 
tion, being  a  very  pious  and  conscientious  man. 

2  o 


2S'2  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

As  all  who  professed  the  protestant  faith,  in  these  perse- 
cuting times,  were  liable,  not  only  to  molestation  in  the 
performance  of  religious  duties,  but  also  to  be  arraigned  at 
the  bloody  tribunal  of  the  relentless  Bonner;  Warne,  among 
the  rest,  was  suspected  of  heresy,  brought  before  the  bish- 
op, and  had  the  following  articles  laid  to  his  charge  ; 

1.  That  he  believed,  that  in  the  sacrament,  called  the 
sacrament  of  the  ahar,  there  is  not  the  very,  true,  and  nat- 
ural body  of  our  Saviour  Christ  in  substance,  under  the 
forms  of  bread  and  wine. 

2.  That  he  believed,  that  after  the  words  of  consecra- 
tion spoken  by  the  priest,  there  is  not  (as  the  church  of 
England  doth  believe  and  teach)  the  body  of  Christ,  but 
that  there  doth  only  remain  the  substance  of  material  bread, 
as  it  is  before  the  consecration,  and  that  the  said  bread  is 
no  ways  altered  and  changed. 

3.  That  he  believed,  that  if  the  Catholic  church  doth 
believe  and  teach,  there  is  in  the  mass  (now  used  in  Eng- 
land, and  in  other  places  of  Christendom)  a  sacrifice,  where- 
in there  is  a  sacrament  concerning  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ,  really  and  truly,  then  that  belief  and  faith  of  the 
church  are  nought,  and  against  God's  truth  and  the  scripture. 

4.  That  neither  in  lent  past,  nor  any  time  since  the 
queen's  reign,  he  had  been  at  church,  nor  had  heard  mass, 
nor  had  been  confessed,  nor  had  received  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  altar  ;  and  said,  that  he  was  not  sorry  for  the 
same,  because  his  conscience  was  not  defiled,  as  it  would 
otherwise  have  been. 

Warne  underwent  several  examinations,  in  the  presence 
of  dift'erent  persons,  on  these  articles ;  at  all  of  which,  h^ 
declared,  that  he  did  believe  and  confess  the  same  to  be 
true. 

At  length,  the  bishop  of  London  having  frequently  warn- 
ed him  to  abjure  his  heretical  tenets,  and  return  to  obedi- 
ence to  the  church  of  Rome,  but  all  without  effect,  the  de- 
finitive sentence  was  pronounced,  when  he  was  dehvered 
up  to  the  sheriffs,  and  sent  to  Newgate. 

While  these  two  martyrs  were  in  prison,  some  of  the 
popish  emissaries  had  spread  a  report  that  they  intended 
to  recant,  which  occasioned  the  following  letter. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  283 

.i  letter  from  J.  Cardmaker  to  his  friend. 

"  The  peace  of  God  be  with  you.  You  shall  right  well 
perceive  that  I  have  not  gone  back,  as  some  men  do  report 
of  me,  but  am  as  ready  to  give  my  life,  as  many  of  my 
brethren  that  are  gone  before,  although  by  a  policy  I  have 
a  little  prolonged  it,  and  that  for  the  best,  as  already  it  ap- 
peareth  unto  me,  and  shall  shortly  appear  unto  all.  That 
day  that  I  recant  any  point  of  doctrine,  I  shall  suffer  twenty 
kindsofdcath,  the  Lord  being  mine  assistant,  as  I  doubt 
not  but  he  will.  Commend  me  to  my  friend,  and  tell  him 
no  less.  This  the  Lord  strengthen  you,  me,  and  all  his 
elect.  My  riches  and  poverty  are  as  they  were  wont  to 
be,  and  I  have  learned  to  rejoice  in  poverty,  as  well  as 
riches,  for  that  I  account  now  to  be  very  riches.  Thus,  fare 
ye  well  in  Christ.  Salute  all  my  brethren,  in  my  name, 
I  have  conferred  with  some  of  my  adversaries,  learned 
men,  and  I  find  that  they  be  but  sophists  and  shadows." 

On  the  30th  of  the  month  called  May,  1555,  these  two 
martyrs  were  conducted  under  a  strong  guard,  from  New- 
gate to  Smithfield,  the  place  appointed  for  their  execution. 

As  soon  as  they  arrived  at  the  stake,  Wame  began  his 
prayer,  which  having  finished,  he  prepared  himself  for  the 
fiery  triaL  While  Warne  was  at  prayers,  Cardmaker  was 
discoursing  with  the  sheriffs,  ingomuch  that  the  friends  of 
the  reformation  feared  he  would  recant ;  but  these  appre- 
hensions soon  subsided ;  for,  after  his  conference  with  the 
sheriffs,  and  a  short  prayer,  he  courageously  went  to  the 
stake,  took  his  fellow- sufferer  by  the  hand,  comforted  him, 
and  cheerfully  submitted  to  be  bound. 

When  the  people  beheld  this,  they  were  greatly  rejoic- 
ed, as  it  totally  removed  their  fearful  apprehensions  that 
they  would  recant ;  and  they  exclaimed,  with  the  most  dis- 
thiguished  satisfiiction,  "  God  be  praised,  the  Lord 
strengthen  you  ;  the  Lord  Jesus  receive  your  spirits." 

The  executioner  having  set  fire  to  the  fagots,  they  burnt 
with  great  rapidity  ;  and  the  two  maityrs  soon  passed 
through  the  flames,  to  enjoy  the  crown  of  triumph  and 
^  ictor}%  prepared  for  the  true  soldiers  of  Christ  in  his  bless- 
ed kingdom. 


284  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

On  the  same  day  that  these  two  martyrs  suffered  in  Smith- 
field,  John  Orderly,  and  John  Simpson,  were  burnt  in  Es- 
sex ;  the  former  at  Rayleigh,  and  the  latter  at  Rochford.. 


The  Life  and  Martyrdom  of  Thomas  Hau-kes. 

Thomas  Hawkes  was  the  son  of  reputable  and  pious 
parents,  who  gave  him  a  good  education-,  and  brought  him 
up  in  the  reibrined  reil-^ion.  He  strictly  adhered  to  his 
religiouo  principles  ;  so  that  finding  the  gospel,  after  the 
death  of  king  Edward,  began  to  decline,  (especially  among 
great  fcimiiies,  in  Cyne  oi  which  he  lived)  he  quitted  his  ser- 
vice,  and  returned  home,  where  he  horded  quietly  to  en- 
joy the  worship  of  God,  according  to  the  dictates  of  his 
own  conscience. 

In  these  expectations,  however,  he  soon  found  himself 
disappointed.  As  there  were  now  popish  emissaries  in  ev^ 
ery  corner,  lying  in  wait  to  give  information  if  any  one  w^as 
only  suspected  of  favouring  ihe  doctrines  of  reformation, 
Hawkes  was  apprehended,  and  brought  before  the  earl  of 
Oxford,  (in  whose  service  he  had  foimerly  lived)  for  be- 
ing unfounded  in  religion,  and  contenming  the  sacraments 
ofihe  church,  in  that  he  had  kept  a  son  unbapiized  three 
weeks,  because  he  would  not  suffer  him  to  be  baptized  af- 
ter the  popish  manner. 

The  earl  referred  him  to  bishop  Bonner,  to  whom 
having  written  that  he  had  refused  to  have  his  child  bap- 
tized, accordhig  to  the  order  of  the  church  now  in  use,  he 
left  him  to  his  lordship's  discretion. 

When  Hawkes  was  brought  before  the  bish^^^,  he  was 
^sked  the  cause  of  keeping  the  child  unbaptizcd  so  long; 
to  which,  he  returned  for  answer,  that  he  w^as  bound  to  do 
nothing  contrary  to  the  word  of  God. 

The  bishop  then  urged,  that  baptism  being  a  sacrament 
contained  in  the  word  of  God,  and  incumbent  on  every 
christian,  he  was,  consequently,  criminal  in  denying,  or 
not  conforming  to  the  same.  To  this,  he  said,  that  he,  by 
no  means,  denied  God's  institution,  but  men's  invention 
therein;  such  as  the  use  of  oil,  cream,  spittle^  salt,  candle,  &c. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  285 

After  much  debate  on  the  subject,  the  bishop  asked  him, 
if  he  would  have  his  child  baptized  according  to  the  ser- 
vice-books, set  out  in  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.  To 
which,  he  replied,  that  it  was  the  very  thing  he  desired 
from  his  soul. 

This  was,  however,  mere  equivocation  to  learn  his  sen- 
timents, for  it  appeared  in  the  sequel,  that  Bonner's  drift 
w^as  to  compel  him  to  submit  to  the  superstitions  of  the 
church  of  Rome,  which,  however,  with  all  his  artifice,  he 
was  not  able  to  effect. 

The  bishop,  with  several  others,  held  various  confer- 
ences with  Huwkes,  concerning  his  belief  of  the  corpore- 
al presence  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  the  mass,  the 
holy  creed,  holy  water,  and  other  ceremonies  of  the  church 
of  Rome  j  but  these  also  he  rejected,  as  he  had  done  that 
of  baptism,  because  they  were  contrary  to  the  word  of 
God,  b\'  which  alone,  he  was  determined  to  be  guided 
and  directed  in  all  matters  of  faith  and  religion  ;  nay,  he 
boldly  toid  them  all,  that  he  would  not  credit  them  in 
any  thing,  but  what  they  could  prove  from  die  holy  scrip- 
ture. 

At  length,  Bonner,  finding  he  could  by  no  means  pre- 
vail with  him  to  recant  his  opinions,  and  submit  to  the 
church  of  Rome,  sent  him  prisoner  to  the  Gate-house,  in 
Westminster,  commanding  the  keeper  to  confine  him 
closely,  and  not  permit  any  person  to  converse  with  him. 

During  his  confinement,  various  methods  were  used 
to  bring  him  over  to  recant,  such  as  conversation,  read- 
ino-  to  him,  taking  *him  to  hear  sermons,  and  the  like  ; 
but  all  proved  ineffectual  ;  his  constant  answer,  to  all 
v/ho  spoke  to  him  on  tl^.at  subject,  being,  *'  I  am  no 
changling." 

Bonner,  incensed  at  his  steadfastness,  told  him,  he 
should  find  him  no  changling  neither,  and  immediately 
went  out,  and  wrote  the  following  paj)er  : 

*'  I  Thomas  Hawkes  do  hereby  confess  and  declare,  be- 
fore my  ordinary,  Edmund  Bonner,  bishop  of  London, 
that  the  mass  is  abominable,  detestable,  and  full  of  all  su- 
perstition; and  also  concerning  the  sacrament  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  (commonly  called  the   sacramait  of 


286  PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS. 

the  altar)  that  Christ  is  in  no  part  thereof,  hut  only  in  heav- 
en.    This  I  have  believed,  and  this  I  do  believe." 

Bonner  ordered  Hawkes  to  subscribe  lo  this  paper  ; 
but  lie  refused  to  set  his  nanxe  to  what  he  had  not  writ- 
ten himself ;  upon  which,  the  haughty  prelate  struck 
him  on  the  breast,  declaring,  at  the  same  time,  that  he 
would  severely  chastise  all  such  proud  and  disobedient 
knaves. 

A  few  days  after  this,  the  bishop  summoned  him,  with 
several  others,  to  appear  publicly  in  the  consistory  court 
at  St.  Paul's  where  the  several  articles  alleged  against  him, 
together  with  the  bill  of  confession,  were  read  to  him  ;  to 
all  which,  he  firmly  abided. 

They  then  strongly  exhorted  him  to  recant,  that  they 
might  not  be  obliged  to  pass  the  solemn  sentence  upon 
him.  To  which,  he  cheerfully  replied  that  if  he  had 
a  hundred  bodies,  '-le  would  suffer  them  all  to  be  torn 
to  pieces,  rather  than  abjure  the  faith  of  Christ's  gospel. 

On  his  thus  steadfostly  persevering  in  the  faith  which 
he  professed,  the  bishop  read  the  sentence  of  condemna- 
tion against  him,  and  five  others  ;  after  which,  he  w^as 
sent  back  to  prison,  where  he  remained  till  the  month 
called  June  following,  w^hen  he  was  delivered  into  the 
hands  of  lord  Rich,  who  caused  him  to  be  conveyed  to 
Chelmsford,  and  from  thence  to  Coxall,  in  Essex,  where 
he  was  burnt  on  the  10th  of  the  same  month.. 

Hawkes  gave  many  pious  exhortations,  and  godly  ad- 
monitions to  his  friends  who  came  to  visit  him  ;  and 
several  of  them  requesting,  if  it  was  possible,  that  he 
would  shew  them  some  token,  by  which  might  appear 
the  possibility  of  burning  without  repining,  he  promised, 
by  the  help  of  God,  to  shew  them  that  ti.e  most  exquisite 
torments  were  to  be  endured  in  the  glorious  cause  of 
Christ,  and  his  gospel,  the  comforts  of  which  were  able  to 
lift  the  believing  soul  above  all  that  men  or  devils  can 
inflict. 

Accordingly,  it  was  agreed  between  them,  that  if  the 
rage  of  pain  was  tolerable,  he  should  lift  up  his  hands  to- 
v/ards  heaven,  before  he  gave  up  the  ghost. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  287 

A  short  time  after  this  agreement,  he  was  led  to  the 
place  of  execution,  where,  being  fastened  to  the  stake 
with  a  chain,  he  addressed  the  multitude,  and  especially 
lord  Rich,  reasoning  with  him  on  the  iniquity  and  dreacf- 
f  ul  consequences  of  shedding  the  innocent  blood  of  the 
saints. 

Having  fervently  prayed  to  Almighty  God,  the  flames 
were  kindled  around  him,  and  he  continued  in  them  so 
long  that  his  speech  was  taken  away  by  their  violence  ; 
his  skin  was  contracted,  and  the  spectators  thought  he 
was  dead,  when,  on  a  sudden,  and  contrary  to  all  expec- 
tation, this  eminent  and  zealous  servant  of  God,  mindful 
of  the  promise  he  had  made  to  his  friends,  held  his  hands 
flaming  over  his  head,  and,  as  if  in  an  ecstasy  of  joy,  clap- 
ped them  thrice  together. 

The  astonished  multitude  testified  their  approbation  of 
his  faith  and  patience  ;  and  his  friends,  to" whom  he  made 
the  promise,  were  exceedingly  confirmed  in  the  niost  holy 
faith,  by  being  eye-witnesses  to  the  power  of  divine 
strength,  which  is  able  to  support  the  servants  of  God, 
under  evcr}^  trial  that  may  bcfal  them,  for  the  sake  of  the 
truth,  as  it  is  in  our  blessed  Redeemer. 

While  he  was  in  confinement,  he  wrote  a  great  num- 
ber of  letters  to  different  people,  and,  among  them,  one  to 
his  wife,  which  so  strongly  displays  the  tender  husband, 
and  pious  christian,  that  we  shall  preserve  a  copy  of  it. 


ji  letter  from  Thomas  Hawkes  to  his  wife. 

"  Grace  be  with  you,  and  peace  from  God  the  Father, 
and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  gave  himself  for 
our  sins,  to  deliver  us  from  this  present  evil  world, 
through  the  good  will  of  God  our  Father,  to  whom  be 
praise  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

*'  My  dear  yoke- fellow  in  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  the 
Lord  hath  not  only  called  me  to  work  in  his  vineyard, 
but  hath  also  fulfilled  his  good  work  in  me,  (I  trust  to  his 
glory,  and  to  the  comfort  of  all  those  that  look  for  his 
coming)  I  thought  it  my  duty,  dear  yoke- fellow,  to  write 


288  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    TAPISTS. 

Imto  you  some  lessons  out  of  God's  book;  and  if  you 
will  direct  yourself  thereafter,  doubt  not  of  it  but  God, 
who  refuseth  none  that  will  come  unto  him  with  their 
whole  heart,  will  assist  you  with  his  holy  spirit,  and  di- 
rect you  in  all  his  ways,  to  his  honour  and  glory,  who 
grant  it  for  his  mercy  sake.     Amen. 

*'  First,  I  exhort  you  to  fear  God  ;  to  serve  and  hon- 
our his  holy  name  ;  to  love  him  with  all  your  heart, 
soul,  and  mind  ;  to  believe  faithfully  all  his  promises  ;  to 
lay  sure  hold  upon  them,  that  in  all  your  troubles,  what- 
soever they  are,  you  may  run  straight  to  the  mercy  of 
God,  and  he  will  bring  you  out  of  them  :  keep  you  with- 
in his  wings ;  then  shall  you  be  sure  that  neither  devil, 
flesh,  nor  hell,  shall  be  able  to  hurt  you. 

*'  But  take  heed  ;  if  you  will  not  keep  his  holy  precepts 
and  laws,  and,  to  the  uttermost  of  your  power,  call  for 
the  help  of  God  to  walk  in  the  same,  but  will  leave  them, 
and  ran  to  all  abominations  with  the  wicked  world,  and 
do  as  they  do  ;  then  be  sure  to  have  your  part  with  the 
wicked  world,  in  the  burning  lake  that  never  shall  be 
quenched.  Therefore,  beware  of  idolatry,  which  doth, 
most  of  all,  stink  before  the  face  of  Almighty  God,  and 
was,  by  all  good  men,  most  detested  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world.  For  which,  what  kingdoms,  nations,  and 
realms,  God  hath  punished  with  most  terrible  plagues,  with 
fire,  brimstone,  hunger,  sword,  pestilence,  &:c,  to  the  utter 
subversion  of  them,  it  is  manifestly  to  be  seen  through 
the  n^hole  bible.  Yea,  his  own  peculiar  people,  whom 
he  had  done  so  much  for,  when  they  fell  from  him,  and 
went  and  served  other  gods,  contrary  to  his  command-, 
ment,  he  utterly  destroyed  and  rooted  them  out  from  off 
the  earth.  Again,  how  he  has  preserved  those  diat  abhor 
superstition  and  idolatry,  and  that  have  only  taken  hold 
upon  God  with  their  whole  heart,  to  serve  him,  to  love 
him,  and  to  fear  him,  k,c,  it  is  most  manifestly  to  be  seen, 
even  from  the  beginning,  out  of  what  great  dangers  he 
hath  always  delivered  them  :  yea,  when  all  hope  of  deliv- 
erance was  past  as  touching  their  expectation,  even  then. 
in  the  sight  of  all  his  enemies,  would  he  work  his  godly 


rERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  289 

will  and  purpose,  to  the  utter  amazement  and  destruction 
of  all  those  that  were  his  manifest  enemies. 

"  Further,  I  exhort  you,  in  the  bowels  of  Christ,  that 
you  v/ill  exercise  and  be  steadfast  in  prayer ;  for,  prayer* 
is  the  only  means  to  pierce  the  heavens,  to  obtain,  at 
the  hand  of  God,  whatsoever  we  desire,  so  that  it  be  ask- 
ed in  faith.  Oh,  what  notable  things  do  we  read  in  the 
scriptures,  tliat  have  been  obtained  through  fervent  prayer! 
We  are  commanded  to  call  upon  him  ifor  help,  aid,  and 
succour,  in  necessities  and  troubles  ;  and  he  hath  prora 
ised  to  help  us.  Again,  they  that  will  not  call  upon  him 
with  their  whole  heart,  but  upon  other  dead  creatures,  in 
whom  there  is  no  help,  (for  there  was  none  found  worthy 
to  open  the  book,  but  only  the  lamb  Christ,  Vv^hich  was 
killed  for  our  sins),  I  say,  who  that  will  refuse  his  help, 
must  even,  by  the  the  terrible  judgments  of  God,,  come 
utterly  to  confusion  ;  as  it  hath,  and  is  daily  manifest  to 
be  seen.  And  whatsoever  you  desire  of  God  in  your 
prayer,  ask  it  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  for  whom,  and  in 
whom,  God  hath  promised  us  to  give  all  things  necessary. 
And  though  that  v/hich  we  ask,  come  not  at  the  first  and 
second  calling,  yet  continue  still  knocking,  and  he  will^ 
at  length,  open  his  treasures  of  mercy,  so  that  ye  shall 
be  sure  to  obtain  :  for  he  hath  so  promised,  if  ye  con- 
tinue in  laith,  hoping  surely  in  him.  These  former  les- 
sons, with  ail  such  instructions  as  I  have  told  you  by  my 
mouth,  I  do  wisii  that  you  would  most  earnestly  learn  ; 
and  then,  I  doubt  not,  but  God,  who  is  the  giver  of  ali 
grace,  will  assist  you^in  all  your  doings,  that  you  may  be 
found  worthy  of  his  kingdom,  which  is  prepared  dirough 
Christ. 

*'  Further,  whereas  it  pleased  God  to  send  us  children, 
my  desire  is,  that  they  may  be  brought  up  in  the  fear  of 
God,  and  in  his  laws.  And  this  is  to  certify  you,  that 
you  deliver,  in  any  wise,  my  eldest  son  to  Mr.  Throg- 
morton,  who,  upon  his  good- will,  hath  promised  me  to. 
bring  him  up,  according  to  my  desire;  and  I  trust,  as  God 
hath  put  into  his  heart.  See,  therefore,  that  you  deliver 
him,  in  any  vvise,  without  delay  ;  and  as  for  the  other,  if 
you  shall  seem  to  be  burdened  with  him,  (which  1  think 

2  p 


290  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

nature  will  not  suffer)  my  desire  is,  that  he  be  brought  up 
in  the  fear  of  God,  the  uttermost  of  your  endeavour, 
with  some  honest  man  that  hath  the  fear  of  God  before 
his  eyes  ;  and  let  us  give  thanks  unto  God,  who  hath 
given  them  us,  beseeching  him  that  they  may  be  counted 
worthy  to  be  of  that  flock  that  shall  stand  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  majesty  of  God,  when  he  shall  judge  the 
world.     Amen. 

*' Yet  once  again,  I  warn  you,  that  you  continue  in  fer- 
vent prayer,  as  I  said  before;  then  shall  you  be  sure,  that 
God,  even  of  his  own  mercy,  according  as  he  hath  prom- 
ised, will  be  an  husband  unto  you,  and  provide  better 
for  you  than  ever  I  was  able  to  do  ;  yea,  he  will  cause 
all  men  that  fear  him  to  pity  you,  to  help  you,  to  suc- 
cour you  in  all  your  necessities,  so  that  if  any  do  you 
wrong,  he  will  be  avenged  on  them.  Moreover,  I  wish 
you  to  keep  company  with  those,  of  whom  you  may  learn 
to  come  to  a  more  perfect  knowledge  in  God  ;  and,  I 
doubt  not,  but  God  will  provide  that  such  will  be  glad  to 
receive  you,  if  you  shall  profess,  and  go  forward  in  his 
truth. 

"  Fhially,  and  to  make  an  end,  I  desire  you,  that  you 
take  heed  with  whom  you  couple  yourself  See  that  he 
be  a  man  that  feareth  God,  loveth  his  laws,  and  will  walk 
in  the  same  to  the  utmost  of  his  power  ;  sucli  a  one  as 
can  be  content  to  love  you,  and  to  care  for  you.  Take 
heed,  he  be  no  brawler,  no  drunkard,  no  wicked  person, 
not  given  to  filthiness,  no  worldling,  no  dicer,  nor  carder. 
Ill  fine,  no  filthy  person,  but  chuse  you  such  a  one,  as  God 
may  be  glorified  in  both  your  lives.  And  again,  on  your 
part,  love  him,  serve  him,  obey  him  in  all  godliness,  as 
long  as  God  shall  give  you  life  in  this  world.  Thenshallye 
both  be  sure  to  obtain  t.;at  kingdom  which  God  the  Fa- 
ther hath  prepared,  and  Jesus  Christ  obtained  for  you, 
that  never  shall  have  an  end,  where  I  trust  to  abide  your 
coming.     Amen. 

By  your  husband, 

Thomas  Haw^kes." 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  291 

The    sufferings    and   Martyrdom  of   Thomas   JFatts,  a 
linen  draper^  of  Billericay^  in  Essex, 

Thomas  Watts  was  born  of  reputable  and  pious 
parents,  in  the  county  of  Essex.  He  was  educated  in 
the  reformed  religion,  and,  during  the  reign  of  Edward 
VI,  was  a  zealous  professor  of  the  protestant  faith.  On 
the  accession  of  queen  Mary  to  the  throne,  apprehend- 
ing he  should  be  troubled,  if  not  persecuted,  on  account 
of  his  following  a  religion  contrary  to  that  which  was 
then  introduced,  he  relinquished  business,  sold  his 
goods,  and  disposed  of  his  substance  to  his  wife  and 
children. 

As  he  lived  in  the  county  of  Essex,  he  came  under 
the  cognizance  of  lord  Rich,  before  whom  he  was 
brought,  and  by  whom  he  was  demanded  the  reason  of 
his  disobeying  the  queen's  laws,  absenting  himself  from 
church,  neglecting  the  mass,  and  setting  up  unlawful 
conventicles,  contrary  to  her  majesty's  command. 

Watts  replied,  with  composure,  that  if  he  had  offend- 
ed against  the  law,  he  was  subject  to  the  penalty  of  the 
law ;  upon  which,  a  justice  of  the  peace  then  present, 
inquired  of  him,  from  whom  he  had  imbibed  his  new- 
fangled religion  ?  Watts  upbraided  the  justice  with  hy- 
pocrisy, reminding  him,  that  in  the  days  of  the  late 
king,  no  one  inveighed  more  strenuously  against  the 
Romish  doctrines  than  himself,  pronouncing  the  mass  to 
be  abominable,  earnestly  exhorting  none  to  believe 
therein,  and  that  their  belief  should  be  only  in  Christ ; 
nay,  adding  further,  that  whosoever  should  introduce 
any  strange  notion  here,  should  be  deemed  a  traitor,  and 
punished  as  such. 

The  j'istice  reviled  Watts  as  an  insolent,  lying  knave, 
and  persuaded  the  sheriff  not  to  pay  any  regard  to  what 
he  had  said. 

Soon  after  this,  information  was  given  to  bishop  Bon- 
ner, that  Thomas  Watts  maintitined,  inculcated,  and 
encouraged  heretical  opinions.  In  consequence  of  this, 
he  was  brought  into  the  consistory  court  in  London,  and 
there  examined,  concerning  the  discourse  he  had  with 


292  PERSECUTED    EY    THE    PAPISTS. 

lord  Rich,  and  other  commissioners,  at  Ciielmsford, 
when  he  pubHcly  related  the  truth  ;  after  which,  the  fol- 
lowing articles  v/ere  alleged  against  him,  requiring,  ac- 
cording to  the  custon\  of  the  court,  a  particular  answer 
to  each  article. 

1.  It  was  alleged  against  him,  that  he  did  not  believe 
in  the  sacrament  of  the  holy  Catholic  church,  as  the 
Catholic  church  of  Rome,  and  other  churches,  mem- 
bers of  the  same,  have  believed  and  taught,  but  despi- 
sed the  same. 

To  this,  he  answered,  that  he  believed  in  all  the  sacra- 
ments, according  to  Christ's  institution,  but  not  accord- 
ing to  the  church  of  the  bishop  of  Rome  ;  that  he  be- 
lieved according  to  the  preaching  of  several  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  who  preached  the  word  of  God  truly  and 
sincerely, 

2.  That  he  believed,  and  taught  others,  that  the  sub- 
Stance  of  material  bread  and  wine,  do  not  remain  in  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar  after  consecration. 

To  this,  he  replied,  that  he  believed,  that  Christ's 
body  is  now  in  heaven,  and  no  where  else  ;  and  that 
he  never  would  believe,  that  Christ's  body  was  in  the 
pacrament. 

3.  That  he  believed  the  mass  to  be  abominable. 

To  this,  he  frankly  answered  in  the  affirmative,  de- 
claring that  he  would  never  recant  his  opinion. 

4.  That  he  believed,  tliat  confession  to  a  priest  was 
not  necessary. 

To  this,  he  said,  he  did  not  believe,  that  the  priest 
could  absolve  him  of  his  sins ;  but  allowed,  that  it  was 
good  to  ask  spiritual  advice  of  the  priests 

5.  Hiat  in  the  open  sessions,  he  confessed,  that  he  had 
refused  to  come  to  the  church  to  hear  mass,  and  re- 
ceive the  sacrament  of  the  altar  ;  because,  according  to 
the  service  of  the  church,  set  out  in  the  days  of  king  Ed- 
ward the  sixth,  such  duties  were  deemed  abominable, 
heretical,  and  schismatical ';  that  he  declared,  that  all 
that  was  done  in  the  church  on  the  accession'  of  her 
majesty,  was  abominable,  heretical,  schismatical,  and 
iinscriptiuid  ;  and  also,  that  he  uttered  before  the  com- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS,  293 

missioners,  other  erroneous  and  arrogant  words,  to  the 
injury  of  his  soul,  and  bad  example  of  the  people  pre- 
sent. 

To  this,  he  answered,  without  the  least  attempt  to 
evade,  that  he  declared  his  opinion,  as  in  tlie  article  a- 
bove- mentioned,  and  begged  of  God  that  he  might  live 
and  die  in  that  faith. 

These,  and  other  articles  of  less  moment,  were  read 
to  him,  and  his  answers  minuted  down  ;  after  which, 
the  bishop  used  the  most  forcible  arguments  to  bring  hini 
to  a  denial  of  (what  he  called)  his  errors,  and  to  be  obe- 
dient to  the  holy  mother- church. 

Watts,  however,  remaining  inflexible,  and  beseech- 
ing God  that  he  might  be  enabled  to  hold  out  to  the  end, 
in  the  true  faith  of  Christ,  sentence  of  condemnation  was 
pronounced  against  him,  and  he  was  delivered  up  to  the 
sheriffs  of  London,  who  conducted  him  to  Newgate. 

On  the  9th  of  the  month  called  June,  he  was  carried 
from  Newgate  to  Chelmsford,  his  execution  being  ap- 
pointed at  that  place  on  the  11th  .On  the  same  evening, 
he  was  conveyed  there,  he  was  in  company  with  Thomas 
Hawkes,  and  others  ;  and  they  all  joined  together  in  the 
most  fervent  prayer. 

The  day  before  his  execution,  he  was  visited  by  his 
wife,  and  six  children,  whom  he  addressed  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner : 

''  My  dear  wife,  my  good  children,  the  time  of  my 
departure  is  at  hand  ;  therefore,  henceforth  I  know  you 
no  more ;  but  as  the  Lord  hath  given  you  unto  me,  so 
I  give  you  again  unto  the  Lord,  whom  I  charge  you  to 
obey  and  fear.  Beware  that  ye  turn  not  to  this  abominable 
popery,  as  a  testimony  against  which,  I  sliall  shortly,  by 
God's  grace,  shed  my  blood.  Let  not  the  murdering  of 
God's  saints  cause  you  to  recant,  but  take  occasion 
thereby,  more  earnestly,  to  contend  for  the  faith  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints.  My  dear  children,  1  trust  God 
will  be  a  merciful  father  unto  you." 

This  affecting  address  struck  such  an  impression  on 
two  of  lus  children,  that  they  desired  to  be  burned  with 
him.     So    sympathetic  a    feeling,    from    such    tender 


294  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

branches,  lor  a  time,  discomposed  our  martyr,  the  man 
giving  way  to  the  parent ;  but,  after  having  a  little  re- 
covered himself,  he  embraced  them  with  all  the  tender- 
ness of  a  dying  father,  took  his  leave,  and  was  led  to  the 
stake,  where  he  quietly,  yielded  up  his  spirit  into  the 
hands  of  him  that  gave  it,  saying,  ''  into  thy  hands,  O 
God,  I  commend  my  spirit." 

Such  was  the  attachment  of  this  steadfast  believer  to 
the  cause  of  his  dear  Lord  and  Master,  that  the  most 
moving  spectacle  of  his  disconsolate  wife,  and  six  inno- 
cent babes,  could  not  in  the  least  stagger  his  resolution  ; 
but  he  persevered  against  all  worldly  considerations,  be- 
ing animated  so  to  do,  by  an  assurance  of  an  immortal 
erown  of  glory  in  his  Redeemer's  kingdom. 

About  the  same  time  that  Watts  suffered,  three  others 
shared  the  same  fate,  for  their  adherence  to  the  truth  of 
the  gospel ;  namely,  Nicholas  Chamberlain,  weaver ; 
Thomas  Osmond,  fuller ;  and  William  Bamford,  weav- 
er. The  first  of  these  was  burnt  at  Colchester,  on  the 
14th  of  the  month  called  June  ;  the  second  suffered  the 
next  day  at  Maningtree ;  and  the  third  the  following  day 
at  Harwich. 


The  sufferings  and  deaths  of  John  Bradford,  a   divine  ; 
and  John  Leafe,  an  apprentice. 

The  first  of  these  martyrs  was  born  at  Manchester, 
where  he  received  an  education  sufficiently  liberal  to 
qualify  him  for  the  more  exalted  office  of  life,  having  ob- 
tained to  a  considerable  knowledge  in  classical  and  math- 
ematical literature. 

On  his  arrival  at  years  of  maturity,  having  some  distin- 
guished friends,  by  their  interest,  he  became  secretar3r 
to  sir  John  Harrington,  who  was  treasurer  to  Hen- 
ry VHI. 

After  having  been  in  this  ofHcc  for  some  time,  being 
of  a  studious  turn  of  mind,  he  quitted  it,  and  went  to 
Cambridge,  where  he  made  such  great  improvements, 
that  in  the  space  of  one  year,  that  univers\ty  conferred 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  295 

on  him  the  degree  of  master  of  arts  ;  soon  after  which, 
he  was  admitted  to  a  fellowship  in  Pembroke  college. 

At  this  time,  there  was  at  Cambridge  one  Martin 
Bucer,  a  zealous  advocate  for  the  reformed  religion. — 
This  person  discovered  a  great  regard  for  Bradford,  and 
persuaded  him  to  follow  those  studies  which  most  condu- 
ced to  qualify  him  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  ' 

Bradford  having  that  diffidence  of  himself,  which  is 
generally  the  attendant  on  real  merit,  excused  himself 
from  taking  upon  him  that  important  office,  as  not  being 
sufficiently  qualified  ;  but  Bucer,  at  length,  brought  him 
to  consent  to  enter  on  the  solemn  work,  and  he  was  or- 
dained a  deacon,  by  Dr.  Ridley,  bishop  of  London,  who 
made  him  prebendary  of  St.  Paul's  ;  where,  in  rotation, 
he  preached  for  three  years,  the  true  gospel  of  Christ : 
namely,  the  doctrines  of  salvation  by  faith,  and  repent- 
ance unto  life,  together  with  the  necessity  of  a  life  of  ho- 
liness, as  the  evidence  of  that  faith,  at  the  end  of  which, 
the  protestant  cause  suffered  a  violent  shock,  in  the  death 
of  the  pious  young  king. 

After  the  accession  of  queen  Mary,  Bradford  continUr 
cd  his  course  of  preaching,  till  he  was  obstructed  by  the 
following  incident. 

In  the  first  year  of  the  reign  of  that  princess,  Bonner, 
then  bishop  of  London,  ordered  Bourn,  a  canon  of  St. 
Paul's,  and  afterwards  bishop  of  Bath,  to  preach  a  sermon, 
wherein  he  took  occasion  from  the  gospel  of  the  day  to 
justify  Bonner,  then  restored  to  his  bishopric,  in  preach- 
ing on  the  same  text  that  very  day  four  years,  and  enforc- 
ing doctrines,  for  which,  according  to  the  terms  of  the 
preacher  he  was  thrown  into  the  Marshalsea,  and  there 
kept  prisoner  during  the  time  of  king  Edward  VI. 

These  words  occasioned  great  murmurings  amongst 
the  people  ;  nay,  so  incensed  were  they,  that  one  of  them 
threw  a  dagger  at  the  preacher,  and  threatened  to  drag 
him  from  the  pulpit,  insomuch  that  he  was  obliged  to 
wididraw,  and  desired  Bradford  to  advance,  and  endeav- 
our to  appease  the  people,  who  were  so  tumultuous,  that 
they  could  not  be  quelled  even  from  the  authority  of  the 
lord-mavor. 


296  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

As  soon  as  Bradford  ascended  the  pulpit,  the  people 
shouted,  "  God  save  thy  life,  Bradford  ;"  and  then  quiet- 
ly attended  to  his  discourse,  in  which,  he  reproved  them 
for  their  disorderly  behaviour,  and  exhorted  them  to 
peace  and  tranquillity  ;  on  which,  after  he  had  finished, 
they  peaceably  dispersed. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  Bradford  preached 
at  Bow- church,  when  he  took  occasion  to  rebuke  the 
people  for  their  tumultuous  behaviour  at  St.  Paul's  in 
the  morning. 

Three  days  after  this  incident,  he  was  summoned  be- 
fore the  queen,  and  her  council,  and  there  charged  as  the 
cause  of  the  late  riot  about  Bourn's  preaching  at  St.  Paul's, 
though  he  was  the  very  person  that  preserved  him  from 
the  outrage  of  the  people,  and  appeased  the  tumult. 

He  was  also  accused  of  preaching  to  the  people  at  Bow- 
church,  though  he  then  warmly  exliorted  them  to  peace. 
But  nothing  that  he  could  allege,  in  vindication  of  his  in- 
nocence, availed ;  for  he  was  committed  to  the  tower,  on 
a  charge  of  sedition,  because  they  found  he  was  a  popu- 
lar man,  and  greatly  caressed  by  the  people. 

He  was  confined  above  a  year  and  six  months,  till  the 
popish  religion  was  restored  by  act  of  parliament. — 
He  then  took  occasion  to  examine  himself  concerning 
his  faith,  because  he  could  not  speak  against  the  doctrine 
of  the  church  of  Rome,  without  incurring  much  danger  ; 
whereas,  while  the  laws  of  king  Edward  were  unrepealed, 
he  might  freely  speak  according  to  the  dictates  of  his 
own   conscience,  and  the  rules  of  God's  most  holy  word. 

The  principal  articles  alleged  against  Bradford  were^ 
his  denying  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  or  the  cor- 
poreal presence  of  Christ  in  the  sacrament ;  and  assert- 
ing, that  wicked  men  did  not  partake  of  Christ's  body  in 
the  said  sacrament. 

Several  bishops,  and  other  learned  men,  were  appoint-. 
cd  to  confer  with  him  ;  but  their  arguments  hud  no 
weight,  because  they  were  not  founded  on  scripture,  but 
human  tradition. 

As  Bradford  would  not  admit  of  any  tenets,  or  practices, 
but  what  were  contained  in  the  scripture,  he  was  deemed 


PERSECITTED    BV    THEE    PAPISTS*  ^97 

a  heretic,  first  excommunicated^  then  condemned,  and 
committed  to  the  custody  of  the  sherift's  of  London,  by 
whom  he  was  conducted,  the  night  before  his  execution, 
to  the  prison  of  Newgate  ;  and,  the  following  day,  brought 
to  the  stake,  with  the  martyr  who  succeeds  in  the  order  of 
this  catalogue. 

John  Leafe  was  an  apprentice  to  a  tallow-chandler,  and, 
at  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  on  an  information  laid  against 
him  of  heresy,  was  committed  to  the  Compter,  by  the  al* 
dermen  of  the  ward  in  which  he  lived* 

After  being  some  time  confined  in  that  prison,  he  was 
brought  before  bishop  Bonner,  and  by  him  examined  con- 
cerning his  faith  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  and  other 
points ;  to  all  which,  he  answered,  in  such  a  manner  as 
^ve  little  satisfaction  to  the  tyrannical  bishop. 

A  few  days  after  this,  he  underwent  another  examina- 
tion ;  but  his  answers  being  tlie  same  as  before,  he  was 
condemned,  and  delivered  over  to  the  secular  power,  for 
not  believing  that  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  sacrament,  by^ 
the  words  of  consecration,  are  changed  into  the  very  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  really  and  substantially. 

After  his  condemnation,  the  bishop  sent  two  bills  to  him, 
the  one  containing  a  recantation,  and  the  other  his  confes- 
sion. The  messenger,  after  reading  the  fomier  to  him, 
^for  he  could  neither  read  nor  write  himself)  asked,  if  he 
would  sign  it ;  to  which,  without  the  least  hesitation,  he 
answered  in  the  negative.  He  then  read  to  him  his  con- 
fession, when  he  immediately  took  a  pin,  and  pricking  his 
hand,  sprinkled  the  blood  upon  the  bill,  desiring  the  mes- 
senger to  shew  the  bishop  that  he  had  already  signed  it 
with  his  blood. 

When  these  two  martyrs  were  conducted  to  the  place  of 
execution,  (which  was  Smithfield)  Bradford  fell  prostrate 
on  one  side  of  the  stake,  and  Leafe  on  the  other.  In  this 
position,  they  continued  praying  for  some  minutes,  till 
Bradford  was  desired  by  the  sheriff  to  make  an  end,  and 
arise,  the  multitude  of  people  being  very  great. 

On  this  notice,  they  both  arose  ;  and,  after  Bradford  had 
made  a  short  harangue  to  the  people,  they  were  both  fas- 
tened to  the  stake,  and  the  reeds  and  fagots  placed  around 
tliem.  2   (^ 


298  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Being  thus  prepared,  Bradford,  lifting  up  his  eyes  and 
hands  to  heaven,  exclaimed,  "  O  England,  England,  re- 
pent thee  of  thy  sins !  beware  of  antichrist ;  beware  of 
idolatry  ;  take  heed  they  do  not  deceive  you."  Then  turn- 
ing to  young  Leafe,  who  was  to  suffer  with  him,  he  said, 
**  be  of  good  comfort,  brother,  the  time  of  our  deliverance 
is  at  hand."  The  young  man  said,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive 
our  departing  spirits." 

The  fire  was  then  put  to  the  fagots,  and  they  both  endur- 
ed their  sufferings  with  the  utmost  composure  and  resigna- 
tion, reposing  an  unshaken  confidence  in  that  blessed  Re- 
deemer, who  died  to  save  mankind. 

While  Bradford  was  in  prison,  he  employed  his  time  in 
writing  various  comfortable  treatises,  addressed  to  the  ad- 
vocates of  the  reformation.  He  also  wrote  pious  letters  to 
the  city  of  London,  the  university  of  Cambridge,  and  the 
towns  of  Lancashire  and  Cheshire,  besides  many  others  to 
his  private  friends  and  acquaintances.  Among  the  latter, 
we  shall  preserve  the  following  : 


A  Letter  from  J.  Bradford  to  certain  pious  persons^  en- 
couraging them  to  prepare  themselves  to  hear  the  cross 
with  patience, 

"  Gracious  God,  and  most  merciful  Father,  for  Jesus 
Christ's  sake,  thy  dearly  beloved  Son^  grant  us  thy  mercy, 
grace,  wisdom,  and  holy  spirit,  to  counsel,  comfort,  and 
guide  us  in  all  our  thoughts,  w^ords,  and  works,  to  thy  glo- 
ry, and  everlasting  joy  and  peace  for  ever.     Amen. 

*'  In  my  last  letter,  you  might  perceive  my  conjecturing 
to  be  no  less  towards  you  than  I  have  now  learned.  But, 
my  dearly  beloved,  I  have  leaiiied  none  other  thing  than 
what  I  before  told  you  would  come  to  pass,  if  ye  cast  not  a- 
way  that  which  ye  have  learned.  I  do  appeal  to  both  your 
consciences,  whether  I  speak  truth  herein,  as  well  of  my 
telling  (though  not  so  often  as  I  mv^\it  and  should,  God 
forgive  me)  as  also  of  your  learning.  Now  God  will  try 
you,  to  make  others  learn  by  you,  that  which  ye  learned 
by  others,  and  by  them  which  have  suffered  this  day,  you 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS,  299 

might  learn,  (if  already  you  had  not  learned)  that  life  and 
honour  are  not  to  be  regarded  more  than  God's  command- 
ment. They,  in  no  point,  for  all  that  ever  their  ghostly 
fathers  could  do,  having  Dr.  Death  to  take  their  part, 
would  consent,  or  seem  to  consent  to  the  popish  mass,  and 
papistical  god,  otherwise  than  they  had  received  in  the 
days  of  our  late  king.  And  this  their  faith  they  have  con- 
fessed with  their  deaths,  to  their  great  glory,  and  all  our 
comforts,  if  we  follow  them  :  but  to  our  confusion,  if  we 
start  back  from  the  same.  Wherefore,  I  beseech  you  to 
consider,  as  well  to  praise  God  for  them,  as  to  go  the  same 
way  with  them  if  God  please. 

*'  Consider  not  the  things  of  this  life,  which  is  a  very 
prison  to  all  God's  children  ;  but  the  things  of  everlasting 
life,  which  is  our  very  home.  But,  to  behold  this,  ye 
must  open  the  eyes  of  your  mind,  of  faith,  I  should  have 
said,  as  Moses  did,  who  chose  rather  to  suffer  affliction 
with  the  people  of  God,  than  to  possess  the  riches  of  Egypt, 
and  the  treasures  of  Pharaoh's  court.  Your  house,  home, 
and  goods,  yea  life  and  all  that  ever  ye  have,  God  hath  giv- 
en you  as  love-tokens,  to  admonish  you  of  his  love,  and  to 
win  your  love  to  him  again.  He  will  try  your  love,  wheth- 
er ye  set  more  by  him  than  by  his  tokens.  If  ye,  for  the 
sake  of  his  tokens,  that  is,  your  house,  home,  goods,  yea 
life,  will  go  with  the  world  rather  than  lose  them,  then 
be  assured,  your  love,  as  he  cannot  but  espy  it  to  be  strum- 
pet's love,  so  will  he  cast  it  away  with  the  world.  Remem- 
ber, that  he  who  will  save  his  life,  shall  lose  it,  if  Christ  be 
true  ;  but  he  who  adventureth,  yea,  loseth  his  life  for  tlic 
gospel's  sake,  the  same  shall  be  sure  to  find  it  eternally. — 
Do  not  ye  know,  that  the  way  to  salvation  is  not  the  broad 
way  which  many  run  in,  but  the  straight  way  in  which  now 
few  walk. 

'*  Before  persecution  came,  men  might  partly  have  stood 
in  a  doubt  by  the  outward  state  of  the  world  with  us,  (al- 
though, by  God's  word,  it  was  plain)  which  was  the  high- 
way, (for  there  were  as  many  that  pretended  the  gospel  as 
popery)  but  now  the  sun  is  risen,  and  the  wind  bloweth  ; 
so  that  the  corn,  which  has  not  taken  fast  root,  neither  can 
nor  will  abide  ;  and,  therefore,  ye  may  easily  see  the  strait 


500  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

way,  by  the  Fmall  number  of  passengers.  Who  will  now 
adventure  their  goods,  and  life,  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  who 
gave  his  life  for  our  sakes  ?  We  are  now  become  gerge- 
sites,^  that  would  rather  lose  Clirist  than  our  swine.  A 
wife  is  proved  faidiful,  when  she  rejecteth  and  withstandeth 
other  suitors.  A  fliithful  christian  is  then  found  so  to  be, 
when  his  faith  is  assaulted. 

"  If  wc  are  neither  able  nor  willing  to  forsake  this 
world  for  God's  glory,  and  the  gospel's  sake,  ere  long  shall 
we  be  obliged  to  leave  it  for  nature's  sake.  Die  ye  must 
once,  and  leave  all  yc  have,  (God  only  knoweth  how  soon) 
whether  ye  will  or  not  ;  and  seeing  you  cannot  avoid  it, 
why  will  ye  not  voluntarily  do  it  for  God's  sake  ? 

*'  If  ye  go  to  mass,  and  do  as  most  part  doth,  then  may 
ye  live  quietly,  and  at  rest ;  but  if  ye  refuse  to  go  thither, 
then  ye  shall  go  to  prison,  lose  your  goods,  leave  your 
children  comfortless,  yea,  lose  your  life  also.  But,  my 
dearly  beloved,  open  the  eyes  of  your  faith,  and  consider 
the  shortness  of  this  hfe,  that  it  is  even  as  a  shadow  and 
as  a  smoke.  Again,  consider  how  intolerable  the  punish- 
ment of  hell-fire  is,  and  that  how  endless.  Last  of  all, 
look  on  the  joys  incomprehensible,  ^vhich  God  hath  pre^ 
pared  for  all  them,  world  without  end,  who  lose  either  life, 
land,  or  goods,  for  his  name's  sake,  and  then  reason  thus  ; 
if  we  go  to  mass,  the  greatest  enemy  that  Christ  hath, 
though  for  a  little  time  we  shall  live  in  quiet,  and  leave  to 
our  children  something  to  live  upon  hereafter,  yet  we  shall 
displease  God,  fall  into  his  hands,  (which  is  horrible  to  hy- 
pocrites) and  be  in  wondeiful  hazard  of  falling  from  eternal 
joy  into  eternal  misery,  first  of  soul,  and  then  of  body,  with 
the  devil,  and  all  idolaters. 

^'  Again,  we  shall  want  peace  of  conscience,  which  sur- 
mounteth  all  the  riches  of  the  world  ;  and  for  our  children, 
who  knoweth  v/hether  God  will  visit  our  idolatries  on 
them  in  this  life  ?  Yea,  our  house  and  goods,  and  even 
our  lives,  are  in  danger  of  being  lost  by  many  casualties  ; 
and  when  God  is  angry  with  us,  he  can,  when  he  pleases, 
send  one  means,  or  other,  to  take  all  from  us  for  our  sins, 
wd  to  cast  us  into  greater  trouble,  who  will  not  come  into 
gpme  little  fpr  his  sake, 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  501 

"  On  this  sort,  reason  with  ourselves,  and  then,  doubt- 
less, God  will  work  otherwise  with  you,  and  in  you,  than 
ye  are  aware  of.     Where  now  ye  think  yourselves   una- 
ble to  abide  persecution,  be  most  assured,  that  if  you 
earnestly  purpose  not  to  forsake  God,  that  he  will  make 
you  so  able  to  bear  his  cross,  that  you  shall  rejoice  there- 
in.    ''  God  is  faithful,  (saith  St.  Paul)  who  will  not  suf- 
fer you  to  be  tempted  above  that  you  are  able  ;  but  will, 
with  the  temptation,  also  make  a  way  to  escape,  that  ye 
may  be  able  to  bear  it."     Think  how  great  a  benefit  it  is, 
if  God  will  make  you  worthy  of  his  honour,    to  suffer 
loss  of  any  thing  for  his  sake.     He  might  justly   inflict 
most  grievous  plagues  upon  you,  and  yet  now  he  will 
correct  you  with  that  rod,  whereby  ye  shall  be  made  like 
to  his  Christ,  that  ye  may  forever  reign  with  him.     Suf- 
fer yourselves,  therefore,  now  to  be  made  like  to  Christ, 
for  else  ye  shall  never  be  made  like  unto  him.     The  devil 
would  gladly  have  you  now  to  overthrow  that,  which  ye 
have  a  long  time,  steadfastly  professed.     O,  how  would 
he  triumph,  if  he  could  win  his  purpose  !   O,  how  would 
the  papists  triumph  against  God's  gospel   in   you  !  O, 
how  would  you  confirm  them  in  their  wicked    popery  ! 
O,  how  would  the  poor  children  of  God  be  discomforted, 
if  you  should  go  to  mass,  and  other  idolatrous  service, 
and  do  as  the  world  doth  ! 

^'  Hath  God  delivered  you  from  labour  to  serve  him 
so  ?  Hath  God  miraculously  restored  you  to  health,  from 
your  grievous  agues,  for  such  a  purpose  ?  Hath  God 
^iven  you  such  blessings  in  this  world,  and  good  things 
all  the  days  of  your  life  hitherto,  and  now,  of  equity,  will 
ye  not  receive  at  his  hands,  and  for  his  sake,  some  evil  ? 
God  forbid  ;  I  hope  better  of  you.  Use  prayer ;  and 
cast  your  care  upon  God  ;  commit  your  children  into  his 
hand ;  give  to  God  your  goods,  bodies,  and  lives,  as  he 
hath  given  them,  or  rather  lent  them,  to  you.  Say,  with 
Job,  God  hath  given,  and  God  hath  taken  away,  his  name 
be  praised  for  ever.  Cast  your  care  upon  him,  I  say,  for 
he  is  careful  for  you  ;  and  take  it  amongst  the  greatest 
blessings  of  God,  to  suffer  for  his  sake.  I  trust  he  hath 
kept  you  hitherto  to  that  end. 


302  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

"And  I  beseech  thee,  O  merciful  Father,  for  Jesus 
Christ's  sake,  that  thou  wouldst  be  merciful  unto  us  ; 
comfort  us  with  thy  grace,  and  strengthen  us  in  thy  truth, 
that  in  heart  we  may  believe,  and  in  tongue  boldly  con- 
fess thy  gospel,  and  to  thy  glory  and  our  eternal  salva- 
tion, Amen.  Pray  for  me,  and  I,  by  God's  grace,  will  do 
the  same  for  you. 

John  Bradford." 


A  farewell  letter  from  J.  Bradford  to  his  Mother,  a  short 
time  before  he  was  burnt, 

**  God's  mercy,  and  peace  in  Christ,  be  more   and 
more  perceived  of  us.  Amen. 

''  My  most  dear  mother,  in  the  bowels  of  Christ,  I 
heartily  pray  and  beseech  you  to  be  thankful  for  mc  unto 
God,  who  now  taketh  me  unto  himself.     I  die  not  as  a 
criminal,  but  as  a  witness  of   Christ,  for  the    truth    of 
whose  gospel,  I  have  hitherto  confessed,  I  thank  God, 
both  by  preaching  and  imprisonment,  and  now  I  am  wil- 
ling to  confirm   the  same  by  fire.     I  acknowledge  that 
God  might  justly  have  taken  me  hence  for   my  sins, 
(which  are  many,  great  and  grievous  ;  but  the  Lord,  for 
his  mercy  in  Christ,  I  hope,  hath  pardoned  them  all)  but 
now,  dear  mother,  he  taketh  me  hence  by  this  death,  as  a 
confessor  and  witness,  that  the  religion  taught  by  Christ 
Jesus,  the  prophets,  and  the  apostles,  is  God's  truth. — 
The  prelates  in  me  do  persecute  Christ,  whom  they  hate, 
and  his  truth,  which  they  will  not  abide,    because  their 
works  are  evil.     They  do  not  care  for  the  light,  lest  men 
thereby  should  discover  their  darkness.      Therefore,  my 
dear  mother,  give  thanks  to  God  for  me,  that   he  hath 
made  the  fruit  of  your  womb  to  be  a  witness  of  his  glory, 
and  attend  to  the  truth,  which  I  have  truly  taught  out  of 
the  pulpit  of  Manchester.     Use  often  and  continual  pray- 
er to  God  the  Father,  through  Jesus  Christ.     Hearken  to 
the  scriptures,  and  serve  God  according  to  them,  and  not 
according  to  the  custom  :  beware  of  the  Romanish  reli- 
gion in  England  ;  defile  not  yourself  with  it :    carry  the 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  303 

cross  of  Christ  as  he  shall  lay  it  upon  your  back  :  forgive 
them  that  kill  me  :  pray  for  them,  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do  :  commit  my  ?cause  to  God  our  Father :  be 
mindful  of  both  your  daughters,  and  help  them  as  well 
as  you  can. 

'*  I  send  all  my  writings  to  you  and  my  brother  Roger  : 
do  witli  them  as  you  will,  because  I  cannot  as  I  would, 
he  can  tell  you  more  of  my  mind.  I  have  nothing  to. 
give  you,  or  to  leave  behind  me  for  you  :  only  I  pray  to 
God,  my  Father,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  bless  you,  and 
keep  you  from  evil.  May  he  make  you  patient  and 
thankful,  that  he  will  take  the  fruit  of  your  womb  to  wit- 
ness his  truth ;  wherein  I  confess  to  the  whole  world,  I  die, 
and  depart  this  life,  in  hope  of  a  much  better  :  which  I 
look  for  at  the  hands  of  God  my  Father,  through  the  mer- 
its of  his  dear  Son  Jesus  Christ. 

"  Thus,  my  dear  mother,  I  take  my  last  farewell  of  you 
in  this  Ufe,  beseeching  the  Almighty  and  eternal  Father, 
by  Christ,  to  grant  us  to  meet  in  the  life  to  come,  where 
we  shall  give  him  continual  thanks,  and  praise  for  ever 
and  ever.     Amen. 

Your  son,  in  the  Lord, 

John  Bradford." 

June  24,  1555. 

The  persecutions   and  sufferings  of  Margaret   Polley, 
widow,  the  first  female  Martyr  in  England* 

Information  being  given  against  Margaret  Policy, 
to  Maurice,  bishop  of  Rochester,  her  ordinary,  and  dio- 
cessan,  she  was  brought  before  him,  when  his  lordship, 
according  to  the  pontifical  solemnity  of  the  church  of 
Rome,  rose  from  his  chair,  and,  in  solemn  parade,  har^ 
angued  her  as  follows  : 

*'  We  Maurice,  by  the  sufferance  of  God,  bishop  of 
Rochester,  proceeding  of  our  mere  office  in  a  cause  of 
heresy,  against  thee,  Margaret  Policy,  of  the  parish  of  Po- 
pingberry,  in  our  diocess  and  jurisdiction  of  Rochester, 
do  lay,  and  object  against  thee,  all  and  singular  the  en- 
suing articles. 


304,  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS^ 

*'  To  these,  all  and  singular,  we  require  of  thee  a  true^ 
full,  and  plain  answer,  by  virtue  of  thine  oath  thereupon 
to  be  given." 

The  oath  being  administered  by  the  official,  the  bishop 
looked  steadfastly  at  the  woman,  and  demanded  of  her  a 
peremptory  answer  to  each  of  the  following  articles. 

1.  Are  not  those  heretics,  who  maintain  and  hold  oth- 
er opinions  than  our  holy  mother  and  catholic  church 
doth  ? 

j4jis.  They  are,  indeed,  heretics,  and  grossly  deceived, 
who  hold  and  maintain  doctrines  contrary  to  the  will  of 
God,  contained  in  the  holy  scriptures,  which  I  sincerely- 
believe   were  written  by  holy  men,  immediately  taught 
and  instructed  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

2.  Do  you  hold  and  maintain  that,  in  the  sacrament 
of  the  altar,  under  the  form  of  bread  and  wine,  there 
is  not  the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  and  that  the 
said  body  is  verily  in  heaven  only,  and  not  in  the  sacra- 
ment ? 

^ns.  What  I  have  learned  from  the  holy  scriptures, 
those  living  oracles  of  God,  I  do,  and  will  steadfastly 
maintain,  viz.  that  the  very  body  which  was  crucified  for 
the  very  sins  of  all  true  believers,  ascended  into  heaven, 
and  is  there  placed  at  the  right  hand  of  the  majesty  on 
high  ;  that  such  body  has  ever  since  remained  there,  and 
therefore  cannot,  according  to  my  belief,  be  in  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  altar. 

I  believe  that  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  sacrament,  arc 
to  be  received  as  symbols  and  representatives  of  the  bo- 
dy and  blood  of  Christ,  but  not  as  such  really  and  sub- 
stantially. 

I  think,  in  my  weak  judgment,  that  it  is  not  in  the  pow- 
^r  of  any  man,  by  pronouncing  words  over  the  elements 
of  bread  and  wine,  to  transubstantiate  them  into  the  real 
body  and  blood  of  Christ. 

In  short,  it  is  my  belief,  that  the  eucharist  is  only  a 
commemoration  of  the  death  of  our  Saviour,  who  said, 
"  as  oft  as  ye  do  this,  do  it  in  remembrance  of  me." 

These  pertinent  and  frank  replies  greatly  provoked  the 
haughty  prelate,  who  exclaimed  against  the  woman  as  an 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  305 

obstinate  heretic,  and,  after  much  sGurrilous  language, 
told  her,  she  was  a  silly  woman,  and  knew  not  wr.at  she 
said,  and  that  it  was  the  duty  of  every  christian  to  believe 
as  the  mother- church  hath  and  doth  teach. 

The  bishop  then  asked  her  the  following  question  : 
**  Will  you,  Margaret  Policy,  recant  the  error  which  you 
maintain,  be  reconciled  to  the  holy  church,  and  receive 
ti^e  remission  of  sins?"  To  which,  she  replied.  "lean- 
not  believe  otherwise  than  I  have  spoken,  because  the 
practice  of  the  church  of  Rome  is  contrary  not  only  to 
reason,  and  my  senses,  but  also  to  the  word  of  God." 

Immediately  on  tliis  reply,  the  bishop  pronounced  sen- 
tence of  condemnation  against  her  ;  after  which,  she  was 
carried  back  to  prison,  where  she  remained  daily  celebrat- 
ing the  praises  of  God  for  upwards  of  a  month. 

She  w^as  a  woman  in  the  prime  of  life,  pious,  charitable^ 
humane,  learned  in  the  scriptures,  and  beloved  by  all  with 
whom  she  w^is  acquainted. 

When  the  day  arrived  appointed  for  her  execution,  she 
was  conducted  from  the  bishop's  prison  at  Rochester,  to 
Tunbridge.  where  she  was  burned,  sealing  the  truth  of 
what  she  had  testified  with  her  blood,  and  shewing  that 
the  God  of  all  grace,  out  of  the  weakest  vessel,  can  give 
strength,  and  cause  the  meanest  instruments  to  magnify 
the  glories  of  his  redeeming  love. 

On  the  same  day  that  Margaret  Policy  suffered,  one 
Christopher  Wade,  a  weaver  of  Diurtford,  in  Kent,  who 
had  likewise  been  condemned  by  bishop  Maurice,  shar- 
ed the  same  fate,  and  at  the  same  place ;  but  they  were 
executed  separately,  he  first  submitting  to  the  dreadful 
sentence. 

About  the  same  time-,  John  Blaiid,  John  Frankesh, 
Nicholas  Sheterden,  and  Humplirey  Middieton,  were  all 
burnt  together  at  Canterbury.  The  two  first  were  minis- 
ters  and  preachers  of  the  .gospel,  the  one  being  rector  of 
Adesham,  and  the  other  vicar  of  Rolvindon,  m  Kent. 
They  all  resigned  themselves  to  their  fate  with  christian 
fortitiKle,  fervently  praying  to  God  to  receive  ti.em  into 
his  heavenly  kingdom. 

2  R 


506  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  persecutions  and  Martyrdoms  of  John  Launder^  and 
Dirkk  Carver. 

John  Launder,  of  Godstone,  in  Surry,  husbandman; 
and  Dirick  Carver,  of  Brighthelmsione,  in  Sussex,  brew- 
er, were  apprehended  in  the  dwelling- house  of  the  latter, 
as  they  were  at  prayers,  and  sent  up  to  the  queen's  coun- 
cil at  London,  where  being  examined,  and  not  giving 
satisfactory  answers  to  the  questions  proposed,  they  were 
committed  prisoners  to  Newgate,  to  wait  the  leisure, 
and  abide  the  determination  of  the  cruel  and  arrogant 
bishop  Bonner. 

Launder,  on  his  examination,  confessed,  that  the  occa* 
sion  of  his  being  at  Brighthelmstone,  was  to  transact  some 
business  for  his  father ;  and  that  hearing  Carver  was  a 
great  promoter  of  the  doctrines  of  the  reformation,  he 
went  to  his  house  in  order  to  join  in  prayer  to  God,  with 
the  pious  christians  who  resorted  thither,  on  which,  he 
was  apprehended  by  Gage,  tlie  officer  appointed  for  that 
purpose. 

He  also  confessed,  that  there  is  here  on  earth  one  whole 
and  imiversal  cathoUc  church,  the  members  of  which  are 
dispersed  throughout  the  world  ;  that  he  believed  the 
same  church  dotli  set  forth  and  teach  only  two  sacra- 
ments, which  are,  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper ;  that 
whosoever  doth  teach,  or  use  any  inore  sacraments,  or  any 
other  ceremonies,  he  doth  abhor  them  from  the  bottom 
of  his  heart. 

He  further  said  and  believed,  that  all  the  service,  sacri- 
fices, and  ceremonies,  now  used  in  this  realm  of  England, 
and  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  where  they  are  used  after 
tlie  same  manner,  are  erroneous,  contrary  to  Christ's  in- 
stitution, and  the  determination  of  Christ's  cathohc 
church,  whereofhe  believed  himself  to  be  a  member. 

He  also  confessed  and  believed,  that  in  the  sacrament, 
called  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  there  are  not  really  and 
truly  contained,  under  the  forms  of  bread  and  wine,  the 
very  natural  body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  substance  ;  but 
that,  when  he  did  receive  the  material  bread,  he  received 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  307 

the  same  in  remembrance  of  Christ's  death  and  passion, 
and  no  otherwise. 

Moreover,  he  confessed,  said,  and  believed,  that  the 
mass  used  in  the  reahn  of  England,  or  elsewhere,  in 
Christendom,  is  abominable,  and  directly  against  God's 
word,  and  his  catholic  church  ;  and  that  there  is  nothing 
said  or  used  in  it,  good  or  profitable  ;  for  though  the  glo- 
ria in  excelsisy  *'  the  creed  and  paler «noster."  and  other 
parts  of  the  mass,  are  good  in  themselves,  yet  being  used 
amongst  other  things  that  are  superstition.^.,  they  become 
corrupt.  Lastly,  he  confessed  and  believed,  tiiat  auricular 
confession  is  not  necessary  to  be  made  to  any  priest,  or  to 
any  other  creature,  but  every  person  ought  to  confess  his 
sins  to  God  alone,  because  no  person  has  any  authority  to 
absohe  any  man  from  his  sins. 

Having  openly  acknowledged  and  maintained  tliese 
opinions,  in  the  bishop's  consistory  court,  and  refusing  to 
recant,  he  was  condemned,  and  delivered  over  to  the  se- 
cular power. 

Dirick  Carver,  being  examined  by  bishop  Bonner,  con- 
cerning his  faith  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  the  mass, 
auricular  confession,  and  the  religion  then  taught  and  set 
forth  in  the  church  of  England,  delivered  the  followinp-, 
as  his  invariable  tenets,  because  founded  on  the  infallible 
word  of  the  only  living  and  true  God. 

To  the  first  point,  he  declared,  that  he  had  and  did  be- 
lieve, that  the  very  substance  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ  is  not  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  ;  and  that  there 
is  no  other  substance  remaining  in  that  sacrament  after 
the  words  spoken  by  the  priest,  but  the  substance  of 
bread  and  wine. 

As  to  the  mass,  he  believed  there  was  no  sacrifice  in  it, 
nor  any  salvation  for  a  christian,  except  it  was  said  in  the 
mother. tongue,  that  he  might  understand  it. 

With  respect  to  auricular  confession,  he  believed  that 
it  was  necessary  to  apply  to  a  priest  for  spiritual  counsel; 
but  that  the  absolution  of  the  priests,  by  the  imposition 
of  hands  was  not  profitable  to  salvation  ;.  ack now! edging, 
at  the  same  time,  thiit  he  had  not  been  confes^,ed,  nor  re- 
ceived the  sacrament  since  tb.c  coronation  of  the  queen. 


50B  '   PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Concerning  the  last  point,  he  declared  it  as  his  opinion 
and  behef,  that  the  faith  and  religion  then  taught,  and  set 
forth,  were  not  agreeable  to  God's  word,  and  that  bishop 
Hooper,  Cardmaker  Rogers,  and  other  pious  men,  who 
were  lately  burned,  were  sound  divines,  and  preached  the 
true  doctrine  of  Christ. 

Being  farther  examined,  he  confessed,  that  since  the 
queen's  coronation  jie  had  the  bible  and  psalter  read  m 
English  divers  times,  at  his  house  in  BrightheJmstone  ; 
and  that,  about  twelve  months  then  past,  he  had  the 
English  litany  said  in  his  house,  with  other  prayers  in 
English.  /       ^  ^. 

After  these  examinations,  he  was  strongly  persuaded 
to  recant,  but  this  he  peremptorily  refused  ;  on  which, 
sentence  of  condemnation  was  passed  on  him  at  the  same 
time  as  on  Launder  ;  and  the  time  of  ; -is  execution  was 
fixed  for  the  22d  of  the  month  called  July,  at  Lewes,  in 
Sussex. 

On  his  arrival  at  the  stake,  he  kneeled  down  and  pray- 
ed ;  and,  when  he  had  finished  his  prayers,  he  arose,  and 
.addressed  the  spectators  as  follows  : 

''  Dear  brothers  and  sisters,  bear  witness,  that  I  am 
come  to  seal  with  my  blood  the  gospel  of  Christ,  because 
I  know  that  it  is  true.  Many  of  you  know,  that  tjie  gospel 
hath  been  trli ly  preached  to  you  here  in  Lewes,  and  now 
it  is  not  so  preached  ;  and  because  I  will  not  here  deny 
God's  gospel,  I  am  condemned  to  die." 

On  this,  the  sheriff  said,  ''  if  thou  dost  not  believe  in 
the  pope,  thou  art  damned,  body  and  soul."  But  our 
martyr  pitied  his  blindness,  and  begged  of  God  to  forgive 
his  errors. 

Being  then  fastened  to  the  stake,  and  the  fire  kindled 
round  him,  he  patiently  submitted  to  his  fate,  and  expired, 
calling  out,  *'  O  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  me  !  Lord  Jesus, 
receive  my  spirit  I" 

His  fellow-martyr,  John  Launder,  was  burnt  the  fol- 
lovv'ing  day  at  Steyning  ;  where  he  cheerfully  gave  up  his 
life  lo  that  God,  from  whose  hands  be  had  received  it. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  309 

The  sufferings  and  deaths  of  John  Denley^  John  Newman^ 
and  Patrick  Fackinghani, 

As  Denley  and  Newman  were  travelling  together  into 
Essex,  on  a  visit  to  some  friends,  they  were  accidentally 
met  by  Tvrrel,  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  said  county, 
who  suspecting  tnem  of  heresy,  caused  them  to  be  ap- 
prehended, and  searched  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  took 
from  Denley  a  confession  of  his  faith  in  writing,  con- 
cerning the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  together,  with  certain 
notes  collected  from  the  holy  scriptures. 

The  justice  immediately  sent  them  to  London,  and 
with  tliem  a  letter  to  be  presented  to  the  queen's  council, 
together  wi- h  the  papers  he  found  on  the  former. 

On  their  being  brought  before  the  council,  they  were 
admonished  and  desired  to  yield  obedience  to  the  queen's 
laws  ;  but  this  advice  proving  ineffeciual,  their  examina- 
tion was  referred  to  Bonner,  bishop  of  London, 

On  the  28th  of  the  month  called  June,  1355,  Denley 
and  Newman,  together  witi.  Patrick  Packingham,  (who 
had  been  apprehended  two  days  before)  were  brought 
before  Bonner,  at  his  palace  in  London. 

The  bishop  having  examined  the  two  former  upon  their 
confessions  and  findingn^hem  inflexibly  to  adhere  to  die 
same,  he  used  his  customary  exhortation;  on  whici.,  Den- 
ley said,  "  God  save  me  from  your  counsel,  and  keep  me 
in  the  mind  I  am  in  ;  for  that  which  you  count  heresy,  I 
take  to  be  the  truth." 

Bonner  then  ordered  them  to  appear  in  the  bishop's 
consistory  court,  where  the  following  articles  were  jointly 
and  severally  exhibited  against  the  in  : 

1.  That  they  were  now  in  the  diocess  of  London,  and 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  bishop  of  London. 

These  they  acknowledged  to  be  true. 

2.  That  they  had  not,  nor  did  believe,  that  there  is  a 
catholic  church  of  Christ  here  on  earth. 

This  they  seveially  denied  ;  for  that  they  did  believe 
the  holy  catholic  church,  which  is  buiftupon  tht  fc-unda- 
tion  of  the  prophets  and  apostles.  Ci^.rist  being  the  head  ; 
sind   that  where  two  or  three  are  gathered   together  in 


310  PERSfeGUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Christ's  name,  they  are  the  members  of  the  said  holy 
catholic  church,  which  is  dispersed  throughout  the  world; 
which  church  doth  preach  God's  ^vord  truly,  and  doth  al- 
so minister  the  two  sacraments,  Baptism,  and  the  Supper 
of  the  Lord,  according  to  his  blessed  word. 

3.  That  each  of  them  had  not,  nor  did  believe,  that 
tliis  church  of  England  is  any  part,  or  member  of  the  said 
catholic  church. 

They  severally  answered,  that  they  did  believe,  that  this 
church  of  England,  using  the  faith  and  practice  that  arc 
now  used,  is  no  part  or  member  of  the  aforesaid  holy 
catholic  chmch,  but  is  the  church  of  antichrist,  the  bishop 
of  Rome  being  the  head  thereof. 

4.  That  they  had  believed,  and  did  believe,  that  the 
mass,  now  used  in  the  church  of  England,  was  abomina- 
ble, and  blasphemy  against  God's  word. 

1  hey  answered  in  the  affirmative. 

5.  That  they  had  believed,  and  did  believe,  that  auri- 
cular confession,  now  used  in  the  realm  of  England,  was 
not  profitable,  but  contrary  to  God's  word. 

To  this,  they  all  answered  in  the  affirmative. 

6.  That  they  had  believed,  and  did  believe,  that  abso- 
lution given  by  the  priest,  and  hearing  confession,  are  not 
good,  nor  allowable  by  God's  word,  but  contrary  to  the 
same. 

To  this,  they  answered,  that  remission  of  sins  is  only 
to  be  obtained  from  God,  through  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

7.  That  they  had  believed,  and  did  believe,  that  the 
clristening  of  children,  as  it  is  used  now  in  the  church 
of  England,  is  not  good  nor  allowable  by  God's  word. 
Likewise,  the  confirming  of  children,  the  giving  of  orders, 
the  saying  mattins  and  vespers,  the  anointing  or  oiling  of 
sick  persons,  and  the  making  holy  bread  and  holy  water, 
with  other  rites  of  the  church. 

To  this,  they  replied,  that  the  christening  of  children, 
or  the  sacrament  of  baptism,  is  altered  and  changed  ;  for 
John  the  Baptist  i!sed  nothing  but  preaching  the  word  and 
water,  as  appears  from  Christ's  desiring  to  be  baptized 
by  him  ;  for  wc  do  not  read  that  he  asked  for  any  cream, 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  311 

or  oil,   or  spittle,  or  wax,  or  salt,  but  used  merely  water  ; 
nor  w^as  this  water  consecrated. 

8.  That  they  had  believed,  and  did  believe,  that  there 
are  but  two  sacraments  in  Christ's  catholic  church,  the  sa- 
crament of  baptism,  and  the  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

To  this,  they  briefly  replied,that  they  believed  no  more, 
except  they  would  make  the  rainbow  a  sacrament ;  for 
there  is  no  sacrament  but  hath  a  promise  annexed  to  it. 

The  bishop  then  stated  one  article  to  Packingham  alone, 
which  was,  that  he,  Patrick  Packingham,  being  of  die  age 
of  twenty-one  years  at  least,  did  irreverendy  stand  in  the 
great  chapel,  having  his  cap  on  his  head  during  the  time  of 
mass,  on  the  23d  of  the  month  called  June ;  that  he  re- 
fused holy  bread,  and  holy  water  at  the  priest's  hands, 
thereby  contemning  and  despising  both  the  mass,  holy  wa- 
ter, and  holy  bread. 

This  article  he  ackowledged  to  be  true. 

On  the  5th  of  the  month  called  July,  the  bishop  proceed- 
ed in  the  usual  form,  against  these  three  persons,  in  his 
consistory  court  TTf  St.  Paul's.  After  various  articles  and 
answers  were  publicly  read,  they  were  exhorted  to  recant ; 
and  both  promises  and  threats  were  used  by  Bonner,  in 
order  to  prevail  with  them  ;  but,  on  their  remaining  stead- 
liist  in  their  faith  and  profession,  they  were  all  condemned 
as  heretics,  and  delivered  into  the  custody  of  the  sherifts 
of  London,  who  conducted  them  to  Newgate,  where  they 
were  kept  till  writs  were  issued  for  their  respective  exe- 
cutions. 

Denley  was  ordered  to  be  executed  atUxbridge,  where, 
being  conveyed,  on  the  day  appointed,  he  was  cliained  to 
the  stake  ;  and,  \vhcn  the  flames  began  to  be  powerful,  he. 
expired  in  the  midst  of  them,  singing  a  psalm  to  the  praise 
of  his  Redeemer.  A  popish  priest,  who  was  present  at 
his  execution,  was  so  incensed  at  his  singing,  that  he  or- 
dered one  of  the  attendants  to  dirow  a  fagot  at  him,  which 
was  accordingly  done,  and  he  received  a  violent  fraci'ure 
in  his  skull,  which,  with  the  fire,  soon  deprived  him  both 
of  speech  and  life. 

A  few  days  after,  Packingham  suffered  at  the  same 
place;  but  Newman  was  executed  at  Saffron- Waldcn,  in 


312  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS, 

Essex.  They  both  died  with  great  fortitude  and  resigna- 
tion, cheerfully  resigning  their  souls  into  the  hands  of  him 
who  gave  them,  in  full  expectation  of  receiving  crowns  of 
glory  in  the  heavenly  mansions. 


The  Martyrdoms  of  If  Uliam  Coker,  Tfilliam  Hooper,  Hen^ 
ry   Laivrence,  lUchard  Collier,   Richard  Wright,  and 
William    Steer,  all  inhabitants  of  the  county  of  Kent, 
who  were  burnt  together  at  Canterbury^  on  the  ^Ist  of 
the  month  called  August^  1555. 

Information  having  been  given,  at  the  same  time, 
against  these  six  persons,  they  were  all  brought  before 
Dr.  Richard  Thornton,  suffragan  of  Canterbury,  and  bish- 
op of  Dover  ;  Dr.  Horpsfield,  archdeacon,  Richard  Faw- 
cet,  and  Robert  Collins,  of  the  spiritual  court  of  Canter- 
bury ;  when  divers  articles  were  respectively  exhibited 
against  them  ;  to  all  which,  they  answered,  as  men  de- 
termined to  adhere  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel  they  had  pro- 
fessed. 

Being  again  brought  before  the  above  persons,  they 
were  further  examined,  and  the  substance  of  their  respec- 
tive answers  was  as  follows^ 

William  Coker  declared,  he  would  answer  no  otherwise 
than  as  he  had  done  before.  Beino;  offered  six  days  res- 
pite to  consider  of  it,  he  refused  to  accept  their  indulgence; 
in  consequence  of  which,  he  immediately  received  sentence 
of  death. 

William  Hooper,  at  first,  seemed  to  assent  to  the  faith 
and  determindtion  of  the  Roman  catholic  church  ;  but,  on 
serious  reflection,  he  retracted,  and  firmly  professed  his 
ftiith  in  tlu  pure  gospel  of  Christ,  as  well  as  renounced  the 
errors  of  popery.  He  was,  therefore,  immediately  sen- 
tenced to  be.  burned. 

Henry  Lawrence,  who  was  next  examined,  denied  au- 
ricular confession,  and  refused  to  receive  the  sacrament  of 
the  altar,  because  the  order  of  the  holy  scripture  was 
chann:ed  in  the  order  of  the  said  sacrament*. 


FERSECtJTED    BV    Ttt£    PAPISTS*  flliJ 

Being  charged  with  not  taking  off  his  cap  when  the 
suffragan  mentioned  the  sacrament,  and  reverenced  the 
same,  he  said,  there  was  no  need  for  him  so  to  do. 

Being  likewise  asked  concerning  the  verity  of  the  sac- 
rament given  to  Christ's  disciples,  he  affirmed,  that 
even  as  Christ  gave  his  body  to  his  disciples,  so  likewise 
Christ  himself  said,  he  was  a  door,  &c.  adding,  moreover, 
that  as  he  said  before,  so  he  still  said,  that  the  sacrament 
of  the  mass  is  an  idol,  and  no  resemblance  of  Christ's 
passion. 

Being  required  to  subscribe  to  these  articles,  he  wrote 
under  the  bill  of  examination  as  follows  :  **  ye  are  all  of 
antichrist,  and  nm  ye  follow."  He  was  then  prevented 
from  speaking  farther,  and  sentence  of  condemnation  was 
pronounced  on  him  in  the  usual  form. 

Richard  Collier,  being  examined  with  respect  to  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar,  answered,  he  did  not  believe  there 
was  the  real  and  substantial  body  and  blood  of  Christ, 
but  only  bread  and  wine  ;  and  that  it  was  most  abomin- 
able, detestable,  and  wicked,  to  believe  otherwise.  In 
consequence  of  which,  he  also  received  sentence  of 
death. 

Richard  Wright  being  asked  by  the  judge,  what  he 
believed  of  the  real  presence  in  the  sacrament,  answered 
that,  touching  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  and  the  mass, 
he  was  ashamed  to  speak  of  it ;  nor  would  he,  therefore, 
by  any  means  allow  it.  In  consequence  of  which,  he  like- 
wise received  sentence  of  condemnation. 

William  Steer  tiie  last  examined,  was  required  by  the 
judge  to  answer  the  articles  laid  before  him.  But  he  de- 
nied the  judge's  authority,  for  which,  he  was  deemed 
guilty  of  denying  the  authority  of  the  queen.  He  al- 
so observed,  that  Thomas  Cranmer,  archbishop  of  Can- 
terbury, then  in  prison,  washisdiocessian;  and,  therefore, 
required  Dr.  Thornton  to  shew  his  authority  from  the 
archbishop,  or  otherwise  he  would  deem  it  invalid. 

With  respect  to  the  sacrament  of  the  mass,  he  said, 
as  he  found  not  the  popish  belief  contained  in  the  scrip- 
tures, he  entirely  disbelieved    it ;    in    consequence    of 

2  s 


f314  PERSECUTED    BV    THE    PAPISTS. 

wliich,  he  received  the  same  sentence  with  his  fellow« 
prisoners. 

These  six  men  being  thus  condemned  for  professing 
the  truth  of  Christ's  gospel  were  immediately  delivered 
over  to  the  secular  povler.  They  continued  in  prison, 
consoling  each  other  daily  in  prayer,  ciii  the  31st  of  the 
month  called  August,  the  day  appointed  for  their  execu- 
tion, when  they  were  conveyed  to  Canterburyj  and  there 
led  to  the  stakes,  of  which  there  were  three,  two  of  thera 
chained  to  each.  They  all  joyfully  yielded  up  their 
lives  as  sacrifices  to  G  )d,  in  testimony  of  their  regard  t# 
the  word  of  truth,  which  abideth  to  all  eternity. 


The  Persecution  and  Mirtyrdom  of  George  Tankerfield^ 
a  cook^  and  citizen  of  London, 

George  Tankerfield  was  brought  up  by  his  par« 
ents  in  the  popish  religion,  to  which  he  zealously  adhered 
till  the  beginnir.g  of  the  reign  of  queen  Mary,  when  the 
horrid  cruelties  exercised  on  diose  who  dissented  frona 
that  church,  so  strongly  impressed  his  mind,  that  he  be- 
gan to  detest,  and  openly  exclaim  against  the  principles 
of  that  religion  lie  had  hitherto  professed,  which,  on  ex- 
amination, he  found  contrary  to  the  divine  mind  and  will^ 
as  contained  in  the  sacred  word. 

This  excited  the  astonishment  of  his  acquaintances,  and 
raised  the  resentment  of  the  popish  faction,  especially 
those  who  were  interested  in  its  restoration  ;  insomuch, 
that  Sir  Roger  Cholmondeley,  and  Dr.  Martin,  two  of 
the  queen's  commissioners  for  ecclesiastical  affairs,  dis- 
patched a  yeoman  to  Tankerfield's  house,  in  order  to  ap- 
prehend and  bring  him  before  them. 

Tankerfield  being  absent,  when  the  yeoman  came  in 
quest  of  him,  it  was  pretended,  that  he  was  wanted  to 
serve  up  a  dinner  at  the  house  of  lord  Paget.  When  he 
came  home,  his  wife  told  him,  that  he  was  required  to  at- 
tend at  a  banquet ;  to  which  he  replied,  *'  a  banquet,  wo- 
man ;  but  such  a  banquet  as  will  not  be  pleasing  to  the 


lERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  51^ 

The  next  day,  he  was  seized  by  a  constable,  and  com- 
mitted ^o  Newgate  ;  and,  after  being  coufintd  there  some 
time,  he  wns  brought  before,  and  rcpeatt^dly  examined 
by  bishop  Bonner,  and  others,  conctrning  divers  articles 
and  tenets  of  religion.  He  was  chiefly  re  quired  to  give 
his  opinion  cor«cerning  auricular  confession,  the  popish 
sacrament  of  tht  mass,  iuid  other  ceremonies. 

In  answer  to  the  first  of  these,  he  said,  he  had  not 
•onfessed  to  any  prit  St  for  several  months,  and  that  he 
would  not  be  confessed  by  any  priest  herccifter,  because 
he  found  no  sue  duly  commanded  in  the  word  of  God, 
which  he  now  took  as  his  only  guide  in  all  matters  of  re- 
ligion. 

With  respect  to  the  sacrament,  commonly  called  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar,  he  declared,  he  did  not  beiit  ve, 
that  ir.  the  said  sacrament,  there  was  the  real  body  and 
blood  of  C  rist,  because  the  body  of  Christ  was  ascend- 
ed into  heaven,  and  there  sat  at  the  right  hand  of  God 
the  Father. 

To  the  last  point,  he  answered,  that  the  mass  then  us- 
ed in  the  Church  of  England,  was  full  of  idolatry,  abom- 
ination, and  wholly  mconsistent  with  the  word  of  God; 
adding  that  there  were  but  two  sacraments  in  Christ's 
church  ;  namely,  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper. 

The  bishop,  after  this  confession,  in  his  usual  manner, 
exhorted  him  to  recant  lis  opinions  declaring  them  to 
be  damnable  heresies  ;  but  Tankerfield  assured  the  bish- 
op, that  he  would  persist  in  his  belief  till  it  should  be 
proved  erroneous  from  scripture  authority,  being  regard- 
less of  the  tenets  of  the  greatest  prelate  upon  earth,  if  not 
founded  on  the  word  of  eternal  truth,  declaring  at  the 
same  time,  that  the  arbitrary  commissioners  for  ecclesias- 
tical affairs  condemned  persons  without  proving  any 
thing  against  them. 

Bonner,  with  an  affected  concern  for  his  interest,  tem- 
poral, and  eternal,  used  many  enticing  words  to  brin.i^ 
him  to  the  mother- church  ;  but  our  martyr  boldly  tolij 
him,  without  the  least  reserve;  that  the  church,  of  which 
the  pope  is  supreme,  is  no  part  of  Christ's  catholic 
churcU  ;  and  pointing  to  the  bishop,  he  said,   '*  good  peo- 


$16  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

pie,  beware  of  him,  and  such  as  he  is,  for  these  be  they 
that  deceive  you." 

The  bishop  was  so  enraged  at  this  resolute  behaviour, 
that  he  proceeded  to  read  the  sentence  of  condemnation  ; 
immediately  after  which,  Tankerfieid  was  delivered  over 
to  the  secular  power. 

The  place  allotted  for  his  execution,  was  St.  Alban's, 
in  Hertfordshire,  whither  being  conveyed  on  the  day  ap- 
pointed, he,.wiih  patience  and  constancy,  resigned  his 
life  into  the  hands  of  that  God  who  gave  it,  as  a  testimo- 
ny of  the  truth  of  his  holy  word,  which  had  been  able  tQ 
Wiake  him  wise  unto  salvation. 


The  Martyrdotn  of  Elizabeth  Warne^  Widow* 

This  pious  woman,  and  steadfast  believer  in  the  pure 
gospel  of  Christ,  (according  to  the  dying  request  of  her 
husband,  who,  some  time  ago,  had  sealed  the  truth  with 
his  blood)  persisted  in  worshipping  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  her  own  conscience,  and  the  form  she  conceiv- 
ed was  contained  in  the  divine  command. 

Information  being  given  against  her,  she  was  appre- 
hended in  a  house  in  Bow-citurch  yard,  in  company  with 
several  others,  who  were  assembled  for  prayer  and  other 
spiritual  exercises;  and,  with  them,  was  sent  to  the  Comp- 
ter, from  whence,  she  was  committed  to  Newgate. 

She  bad  been  but  a  few  days  confined,  before  she  was 
sent  for  by  the  queen's  commissioners,  who,  after  some 
examination,  gave  her  up  to  the  bishop  of  London. 

The  chief  article  alleged  against  her,  by  Bonner,  was, 
her  not  believing  the  real  presence  in  the  sacrament  of 
the  altar.  She  was  also  accused  of  absenting  herself 
from  church,  speaking  against  the  mass,  despising  the 
ceremonies  of  the  holy  mother-church.  &c. 

To  these  accusations,  she  gave  such  answers  as  high- 
ly offended  the  bishop,  who  warmly  exhorted  her  to  re- 
cant her  erroneous  and  heretical  opinions.  She  replied, 
**  do  with  me  what  you  will ;  for,  if  Christ  was  in  an  er- 
ror, then  I  am  in  an  error," 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  317 

On  this  peremptory  declaration,  she  was  condemned  as 
a  heretic,  delivered  to  the  sheriff  of  London,  and  con- 
ducted  to  Newgate. 

When  the  day  appointed  for  her  execution  arrived, 
she  was  carried  from  Newgate  to  Slrafford-le-bovv,  where 
she  suffered  martyrdom  for  the  cause  of  Clirist  and  his 
gospel,  following  her  husband  through  the  path  of  a  fiery- 
trial,  to  the  heaven  of  rest  that  awaits  all  the  disciples  of 
our  blessed  and  glorious  Redeemer. 


The  Martyrdom  of  Robert  Smith. 

This  martyr  was  originally  educated  in  the  Roman 
catholic  religion  ;  but  having  for  some  time  enjoyed  a 
place  under  the  Provost  of  Eaton  college,  he  was  con- 
verted to  the  true  faith  by  tl.e  preaching  of  several  re- 
formed ministers  in  that  learned  seminary. 

As  he  was  known  to  profess  the  protestant  religion, 
he  was,  on  the  accession  of  queen  Mary,  deprived  of  his 
post  in  the  college,  and  soon  after  sent  up  prisoner  to  the 
bishop  of  London,  by  whom,  he  was  committed  to  New- 
gate, after  being  examined  by  him  divers  times,  at  his 
palace,  and  in  other  places. 

Being  questioned  by  the  bishop  concerning  auricular 
confession,  he  declared,  he  had  never  been  confessed 
since  he  arrived  at  years  of  discretion,  because  he  never 
thought  it  needful,  nor  commanded  of  God  to  confess  his 
faults  to  any  of  that  sinful  number  called  priests. 

The  bishop  then  inquired,  how  long  it  was  since  he 
had  received  the  sacrament  of  the  mass,  and  what  w^as  his 
opinion  concerning  the  same. 

To  this,  he  rej)lied,  that  he  had  never  received  the 
same,  since  he  arrived  at  years  of  discretion,  nor,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  ever  would  ;  neither  did  he  esteem  it  in 
any  point  necessary,  because  it  \vas  not  God's  ordinance, 
but  rather  set  up  in  mockery  of  God,  and  to  deprive 
him  of  the  honour  which  is  his  due. 

Behig  questioned  concerning  his  belief  in  the  corpore- 
al presence  in  the  sacrament,  after  the  words  of  conse- 


318  PERSECUTE©     BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

cration  pronounced  by  the  priest,  he  replied,  "  I  ^avc 
once  told  you,  that  it  was  not  God's  ordinance,  much 
less  can  it  be  God,  or  any  part  of  his  substance,  but  only 
mere  bread  and  wine,  and  to  be  received  in  a  figurative 
sense  alone  ;  adding  further,  that  if  he  couid  prove  from 
scripture,  that  it  was  the  very  body,  he  would  believe  it, 
but  till  then,  he  should  esteem  it  a  detestable  idol,  not 
God,  but  contrary  to  God  and  truth." 

This  answer  so  irritated  the  haughty  prelate,  that  he 
greatly  reviled  Smith  ;  but  his  passion  abating,  he  after- 
wards examined  him  in  milder  terms,  and  coolly  inquired 
liis  opinion  concerning  the  catholic  church. 

Smith  replied,  *'  I  believe  there  is  one  catholic  church, 
©r  congregation  of  the  faithful,  which  (as  the  apostle  saith) 
is  built  upon  the  prophets  and  apostles,  Crrist  Jesus  being 
the  chief  corner-stone.  I  also  believe,  that  this  church, 
in  all  words  and  w^orks,  maintaineth  the  word  of  God, 
and  bringeth  the  same  for  her  authority  ;  of  this  church, 
I  am  assured,  that  by  grace,  I  am  made  a  member." 

He  was  then  examined  concerning  holy  bread,  holy 
water,  and  other  ceremonies  of  tlie  church  ;  but  these 
points  lie  denied  as  unscriptural ;  and  persisting  in  his 
opinions,  notwithstanding  the  repeated  admonitions  of 
the  bishop,  he  was  summoned  to  appear  at  the  consistory 
eourt,  where  having  made  the  same  confession  as  before, 
sentence  of  condemnation  was  passed  upon  him,  and  he 
was  delivered  over  to  the  secular  power. 

After  the  cruel  sentence  was  passed,  Smith  remonstrated 
with  the  lord-mayor,  sheriffs,  and  others  who  were  pres- 
ent on  the  occasion,  on  the  iniquity  of  their  procedures, 
which  were  contrary  to  all  laws,  human  and  divine ;  but 
the  general  cry  was,  *'  away  with,  the  heretic,  away  with 
the  heretic."  He  then  addressed  himself  to  the  specta- 
tors in  the  following  manner  : 

"  Ye  have  seen  and  heard,  my  friends,  the  great  inju- 
ry I  have  this  day  received  ;  and  ye  are   all   witnesses, 
that  we  have  referred  the  equity  of  our  cause  to  tlie  book 
of  God,  which  appeal  not  being  admitted,  we  are   eon 
demned  unheard," 


rERSlCUTED    BY     THE     PAPISTS.  31>§ 

Turning  to  the  mayor,  he  said,  "  though,  my  lord, 
you  have  here  exercised  your  authority  urjjustly,  and 
will  not  attend  the  cry  of  the  poor,  I  com  nut  my  causc^ 
to  that  God  who  judgeth  aright,  and  will  render  unt© 
every  man  according  to  his  deeds  ;  that  God  at  whose 
awful  bar,  both  you  and  I  must  stand  without  respect  or 
authority,  and  where  sentence  will  be  passed  withou  par- 
tiality, bigotry,  or  caprice,  and  according  to  the  eternal 
laws  of  infallible  truth.'' 

After  this,  he  was  carried  back  to  Newgate,  w^here  he 
was  closely  confined  till  the  8th  of  the  month  called  Au- 
gust, which  was  appointed  for  his  execution.  On  the 
morning  of  that  day,  he  was  conducted,  under  a  proper 
guard,  to  Uxbridge,  and  there  led  to  the  stake.  He 
bore  his  punishment  with  the  most  amazing  fortitude,  in 
full  hopes,  that  he  was  giving  up  a  temporary  existence 
for  one  that  would  be  immortal. 

Smith  had  received  a  very  liberal  education  ;  and,  du- 
ring the  time  of  his  imprisonment,  he  wrote  a  great 
number  of  treatises  letters,  &c  He  had  a  good  turn  for 
poetry,  in  which,  several  of  his  compositions  were  form- 
«d.  Among  the  number  of  his  writings,  we  shall  pre- 
serve the  followmg  : 


The  substance  of  an  epistle,  written   by  Robert  Smith, 
to  the  persecuted  Jiock  of  Lhrist, 

**  To  all  which  love  God  unfeignedly,  and  intend  to 
lead  a  godly  life,  according  to  his  gospel,  and  to  perse- 
vere  in  his  truth  unto  the  end,  grace  and  peace  from 
God  the  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
Amen. 

"-  Be  not  afraid,  most  dearly  beloved,  in  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  at  these  most  perilous  days,  wherein,  by 
the  suffering  of  God,  the  prince  of  darkness  is  broken 
loose,  and  rageth  in  his  members  against  the  elect  of 
God,  with  all  cruelty,  to  set  up  again  the  kingdom  of 
antichrist,  ag.iinst  whom,  see  that  ye  be  strong  in  faith, 
to  resist  his  most  devilish  dactrines,  with  the  pure  gos- 


320  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

pel  of  God,  arming  yourselves  with  patience,  to  abide 
whatsoever  shall  be  laid  to  your  charge  for  the  truth's 
sake,  knowing  that  thereunto  you  are  called,  not  only 
to  believe  in  him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  him.  Oh! 
how  happy  are  ye,  that,  in  the  sight  of  God,  are  count- 
cd  worthy  to  suffer  for  the  testimony  of  Christ.  Quit, 
therefore,  yourselves.  Oh,  my  loving  brethren,  and  re- 
joice in  him  for  whom  ye  suffer  ;  for,  unto  you  do  re- 
main the  unspeakable  joys,  which  neither  the  eye  hath 
seen,  nor  the  ear  hath  heard,  neither  the  heart  of  man 
is  able  to  comprehend  in  any  wise.  Be  not  afraid  of  the 
bodily  death  ;  for  your  names  are  written  in  the  book 
of  Life  ;  and  the  prophets  do  record,  that,  in  the  sight  of 
the  Lord,  precious  is  the  death  of  his  saints.  Watch, 
therefore,  and  pray  that  ye  be  not  prevented  in  the  day 
of  temptation.  Now  cometh  the  day  of  your  trial, 
wherein  the  waters  rage,  and  the  stormy  winds  blow. 
Now  shall  it  appear,  wi:ether  you  have  builded  upon  the 
fleeting  sand,  or  upon  the'  unmoveable  rock  Christ, 
which  is  the  foundation  of  the  prophets  and  apostles, 
whereon  every  house  that  is  builded,  groweth  into  an 
holy  temple  of  the  Lord,  by  the  mighty  working  of  the 
holy  Ghost.  Now  approacheth  the  day  of  your  battle, 
wherein  it  is  required,  that  you  shew  yourselves  the 
valiant  soldiers  of  Christ  Jesus,  with  the  armour  of  God, 
that  ye  may  be  able  to  stand  fast  against  the  crafty  as- 
saults of  the  devil.  Christ  is  your  captain,  and  you  arc 
his  soldiers,  whose  cognizance  is  the  cross,  to  the  which, 
he  willingly  humbled  himself,  even  unto  the  death,  and 
thereby  spoiled  his  enemies,  and  now  he  triumphs  over 
them,  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  making  intercession  for 
them,  that  do  here  remain  to  sufter  the  afflictions,  that 
are  to  be  fulfilled  in  his  mystical  body.  It  behoveth, 
therefore,  every  one,  that  will  be  accounted  his  scholar, 
to  take  up  his  own  cross,  and  follow  him,  as  you  have 
him  for  example;  and  I  assure  you,  that  he  being  on 
your  side,  nothing  shall  be  able  to  prevail  against  you  ; 
andthathewill  be  withyou  even  to  the  world's  endo  You 
have  his  ])romise  in  the  28th  of  Matthew.  He  will  go 
forth  with  his  host  as  a  conqueror,  to  make  a  conquest. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS*  521 

He  IS  the  man  that  sitteth  on  the  white  horse  crowned  with 
immortality  ;  and  ye,  brethren,  are  his  fellowship,  where- . 
of  he  is  the  head.  He  hath  your  hearts  in  his  hand*  A?^ 
a  bow  bent  after  his  godly  will,  he  shall  direct  the  same^ 
according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  into  all  spiritual  and 
heavenly  cogitation.  He  is  faithful,  and  Avill  not  sufter 
you  to  be  further  assaulted,  than  he  will  give  you  strength 
to  overcome  :  and,  in  the  most  danger,  he  will  make  a  way 
that  you  may  be  able  to  bear  it.  Shrink  not,  therefore, 
dear  hearts,  when  ye  shall  be  called  to  answer  for  the  hope 
that  is  in  you  ;  for  we  have  the  comforter,  even  the  spirit 
of  truth,  which  was  sent  from  the  heavens  tateacli  us. — - 
He  sliall  speak  in  us  :  he  shall  strengthen  us.  What  is 
he  then,  that  shall  be  able  to  confound  us  ?  Nay,  what  ty- 
rant  is  he  that  boasteth  himself  of  his  strength  to  do  mis^ 
chief,  whom  the  Lord  shall  not,  with  his  spirit,  by  thr 
mouth  of  his  servants,  smite  ?  Yea,  suddenly  will  the  Lord 
bring  down  the  glory  of  the  proud  Philistines,  by  the  hands 
of  his  servant  David.  Their  strength  is  in  shield  and 
spear  ;  but  our  help  is  in  the  name  of  die  Lord,  which 
made  both  heaven  and  earth.  He  is  our  buckler,  and 
our  wall,  a  strong  tower  of  defence.  He  is  our  God,  and 
we  are  his  people.  He  shall  bring  the  counsels  of  the  un- 
godly to  nought.  He  shall  take  them  in  their  own  net. — 
He  shiJl  destroy  them  in  their  own  inventions.  The  right 
hand  of  the  Lord  sliall  work  this  Avonder.  His  power  is 
knowii  amongst  the  children  of  men.  Their  fiithers  have 
felt  it,  and  arc  confounded.  In  like  manner,  shall  they 
know  that  there  is  no  counsel  against  the  Lord  :  when  their 
secrets  are  opened  to  the  whole  world,  and  are  found  td 
be  against  the  living  God,  work  they  ever  so  craftily, 
build  they  ever  so  strongly,  yet  down  shall  their  Babel  fall, 
and  the  builders  themselves  shall  then  be  scattered  upon 
tlie  face  of  the  earth,  as  accursed  of  God.  The  just  shall 
see  tliis,  and  be  glad,  and  praise  the  iinme  of  the  Lord, 
that  so  marvelleously  hath  dealt  with  his  servants,  as  to 
bring  their  enemies  under  their  feet.  Then  shall  the  fear- 
ful seed  of  Cain  tremble  and  quake.  Then  shall  the  mock- 
ing Ishmaelites  be  cast  out  of  the  door.  Then  shall  the 
proud  Nemborth  see  his  labour  lost.     Then  ihall  the  beast 

2  T 


322  PERSECtTTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

of  Babylon  be  trodden  under  foot.  Then  shall  the  scribes 
and  pharisees,  for  madness,  fret  and  rage.  Then  shall 
their  painted  wisdom  be  kno\\Ti  for  extreme  folly.  Then 
shall  the  bloody  dragon  be  void  of  his  prey.  Then  shall 
the  whore  of  Babylon  receive  double  vengeance.  Then 
shall  they  scratch  their  crowns,  for  the  fall  of  their  mis- 
tress harlot,  whom  they  now  serve  for  filthy  lucre,  whea 
no  man  shall  buy  their  wares  any  more.     Then    shall  the 

Eopish  priesthood  cry,  with  care,  even  when  the  Lord  shall 
elp  his  servants,  which  day  is  not  far  off,  wherein  the 
kingdom  of  antichrist  shall  have  an  end,  and  never  rise  a- 
ny  more  ;  in  the  mean  time,  abide  in  certain  and  sure 
hope,  cleaving  unto  the  promises  of  God,  which  in  their 
own  time  shall  be  fulfilled.  What  better  quaiTels  can  you 
have  to  give  your  lives  for,  than  the  truth  itself?  That 
man  that  giveth  his  life  for  the  truth,  taketh  the  readiest 
Way  to  life.  He  that  hath  the  pope's  curse  for  the  truth, 
is  sure  of  Christ's  blessing.  Well  then,  my  brethren, 
what  shall  now  let,  but  that  you  go  forwards  as  ye  have  be- 
gun ?  Nay,  rather  run  with  the  runners,  that  ye  may  ob- 
tain the  appointed  glory.  Hold  on  the  right  way.  Look 
not  back.  Have  the  eye  of  your  heart  fixed  upon  God ; 
and  so  run  that  you  may  get  hold  of  it.  Cast  away  all 
your  worldly  pelf,  and  worldly  respects,  as  the  favour  of 
friends,  the  fear  of  men,  sensual  affection,  respect  of  per- 
son, honour,  praise,  shame,  rebuke,  wealth,  poverty,  rich- 
es, lands,  possessions,  carnal  fathers  and  mothers,  wife 
and  chilrden,  with  the  love  of  your  own  selves  ;  and  in  res- 
pect of  that  heavenly  treasure  you  look  for.  Let  all  these 
be  denied  and  utterly  refused  of  you,  so  that,  in  no  condi- 
tion, they  do  abate  your  zeal,  or  quench  your  love  towards 
God.  In  this  case,  make  no  account  of  them,  but  rather 
repute  them  as  vile,  in  comparison  of  everlasting  life. — 
Away  with  them  as  thorns  that  choke  the  heavenly  seed 
of  the  gospel,  where  they  be  suffered  to  grow  ;  they  are 
burdens  of  the  flesh,  which  encumber  the  soul.  Exchange 
them,  therefore,  I  beseech  you,  for  advantage.  Doth  not 
he  gain,  that  findeth  heavenly  and  immortal  treasure,  for 
earthly  and  corruptible  riches?  Loseth  that  man  any  thing, 
who  of  his  carnal  father  and  mother  is  forsaken,   when. 


PERSECUTE®    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  323, 

therefore,  he  is  received  of  God  die  Fadier,  to  be  his  child 
and  heir  in  Christ  ?  Heavenly  for  earthly,  mortal  for  im- 
mortal, transitory  for  things  permanent,  is  great  gain  to  a 
christian  conscience. 

**  Therefore,  as  I  began,  I  exhort  you  in  the  Lord  not 
to  be  afraid.  Shrink  not,  my  brethren  :  mistrust  not  God  : 
be  of  good  comfort:  rejoice  in  the  Lordt  hold  fast  your 
faith  :  and  continue  to  the  end.  Deny  the  world,  take  up 
the  cross,  and  follow  him  who  is  your  leader,  and  is  gone 
before.  If  you  suffer  with  him,  you  shall  reign  with  him. 
What  way  can  you  glorify  the  name  of  your  heavenly  Fath- 
er better,  than  by  suffering  death  for  his  Son's  sake  ?  What 
a  spectacle  shall  it  be  to  the  world,  to  behold  so  godly  a 
fellowship  as  you  servants  of  God  ?  In  so  just  a  quarrel, 
as  the  gospel  of  Christ  is,  with  so  pure  a  conscience,  so 
strong  a  faith,  and  so  lively  a  hop^  to  offer  yourselves. 
to  suffer  most  cruel  torments  at  the  hands  of  God's  ene- 
mies ;  and  so  to  end  your  days  in  peace,  to  receive,  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  righteous,  life  everlasting. 

'*  Be  strong,  therefore,  in  your  battle,  the  Lord  God  is 
on  our  side  ;  and  his  truth  is  your  cause,  and  against  you 
be  none  but  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  as  a  ser- 
pent and  his  seed,  the  dragon  with  his  tail,  the  marked  man 
of  the  beast,  the  offsring  of  the  pharisees,  the  congregation 
malignant,  the  generation  of  vipers  and  murderers,  as  their 
father  the  devil  hath  been  from  the  beginning.  To  conclude, 
such  are  they  as  the  Lord  God  hath  always  abhorred,  and 
in  all  ages  resisted  and  overthrown.  God,  from  whom 
nothing  is  hid,  knoweth  what  they  are.  He  that  searcheth 
the  hearts  of  men,  hath  found  out  diem  to  be  crafty,  sub- 
tle, full  of  poison,  proud,  disdainful,  stiff-necked,  devour- 
ers,  and  barkers  Ligainst  the  truth,  filthy  and  shameless. — 
And,  therefore,  doth  the  spirit  of  God,  by  the  mouths  of 
his  holy  prophets  and  apostles,  call  them  by  the  names  of 
foxes,  serpents,  cockatrices,  lions,  leopards,  bulls,  bears, 
wolves,  dogs,  swine,  beasts  ;  teaching  us  thereby  to  under- 
stand tliat  their  natural  inclination  is  to  deceive,  poison,  and 
destroy,  as  much  as  in  them  lies,  the  faithful  and  elect  of 
God;  but  the  Lord,  with  his  right  arm,  shall  defend  his 
little  flock  against  the  whole  rabble  of  these  worldlings. 


3^4  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Avhich  have  conspired  against  him.  He  hath  numbered  all 
the  hairs  of  his  children's  heads,  so  that  not  one  of  them 
shall  perish  without  his  fatherly  will.  He  keepeth  the 
sparrows,  much  more  will  he  preserve  them  whom  he  hath 
purchased  with  the  blood  of  the  immaculate  Lamb.  He 
will  keep  them  until  the  hour  appointed,  wherein  the  name 
of  God  shall  be  glorified  in  his  saints.  In  the  mean  time, 
let  them  work  their  wills,  let  them  envy,  let  them  blas- 
pheme, let  them  curse,  betray,  w^hip,  scourge,  hang,  and 
burn  ;  for,  by  this  means,  God  will  try  his  elect,  as  gold  in 
the  furnace.  And,  by  these  fruits,  shall  they  also  bring 
themselves  to  be  known  what  they  be  ;  for  as  he  that,  in 
suffering  patiently  for  the  gospel  of  God,  is  thereby  known 
to  be  of  Christ,  even  so  also  is  the  persecutor  of  him  known 
to  be  a  member  of  antichrist.  Besides  this,  their  extreme 
cruelty  shall  be  a  means  the  sooner  to  provoke  God  to  take 
pity  upon  his  servants,  and  to  destroy  them  that  so  tyran- 
nously  treat  his  people,  as  we  may  learn  by  the  histories,  as 
well  in  the  bondage  of  Israel  under  Pharaoh  in  Egypt,  as 
in  the  miserable  captivity  of  Judah  in  Babylon,  where, 
when  the  people  of  God  were  in  most  extreme  thraldom, 
then  did  the  Lord  stretch  forth  his  mighty  power  to  deliv- 
er his  servants.  Though  God,  for  a  time,  suffered  them  to 
be  exalted  in  their  own  pride,  yet  shall  they  not  escape 
his  vengeance. 

*'  To  conclude,  my  brethren,  I  commit  you  to  God  and 
the  power  of  his  word,  which  is  able  to  establish  you  in  all 
truth.  His  spirit  be  with  you,  and  work  alway,  that  ye 
may  be  mindful  of  your  duties  towards  him,  whose  ye  are, 
both  body  and  soul,  whom  see  that  ye  love,  serve,  dread, 
and  obey,  above  all  worldly  ^wwcrs  ;*  and  for  nothing  under 
the  heavens,  defile  your  conscience  before  God  :  dissem- 
ble not  with  his  word  :  God  will  not  be  mocked.  Nay, 
they  that  dissemble  with  him,  deceive  themselves,  such 
shall  the  Lord  deny,  and  cast  out  at  the  last  day  ;  such,  I 
say,  as  bear  two  faces  in  one  head  ;  such  as  pfay  on  both 
hands;  such  as  deny  the  known  truth  ;  such  as  obstinately 
rebel  against  him  ;  all  such,  with  their  partakers,  shall  the 
Lord  destroy.     God  defend  you  from  all  such,  and  make 

you  perfect  unto  the  end,  and  your. s©rrow  shall  be  turned 
inXo  joy," 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  325 

^  letter  from  Robert  Smith  to  his  wife, 

"  Seek  first  to  love  God,  dear  wife,  with  your  whole 
heart,  and  then  it  shall  be  easy  to  love  your  neighbour. 

"•  Be  friendly  to  all  creatures,  and  especially  to  your  own 
soul. 

*'  Be  always  an  enemy  to  the  devil,  and  to  the  world,  but 
especially  to  your  ov/n  flesh. 

"  Hearing  of  good  things,  join  the  ears  of  your  head  and 
heart  together. 

*'  Seek  unity  and  quietness  with  all  men,  but  especially 
with  your  conscience  ;  for  it  will  not  easily  be  entreated. 

**  Love  all  people,  but  especially  your  enemies. 

"  Hate  the  sins  that  are  past,  but  especially  those  to 
come. 

"  Be  as  ready  to  further  your  enemy,  as  he  is  to  hinder 
you,  that  you  may  be  the  child  of  God. 

*'  Defile  not  that  which  Christ  hath  cleansed,  lest  his 
blood  be  laid  to  your  charge. 

*'  Remember  that  God  hath  hedged  in  your  tongue  with 
the  teeth  and  lips,  that  it  might  speak  under  correction. 

**  Be  ready,  at  all  times,  to  look  at  your  brother's  eye, 
but  especially  in  your  own  eye  :  for,  he  that  warneth  others 
of  what  he  himself  is  guilty,  doth  give  his  neighbour  the 
clear  wine  and  keepeth  tiie  dregs  to  himself. 

''  Beware  of  riches  and  worldly  honour ;  for,  without 
understanding,  prayer,  and  fasting,  it  is  a  snare,  and  also 
poverty,  all  which  are  like  to  consuming  fire,  of  which,  if  a 
man  take  a  little,  it  will  wann  him,  but  if  he  take  too 
much,  will  consume  him  :  for  it  is  hard  for  a  man  to  caiTy 
fire  in  his  bosom,  and  not  be  burnt. 

"  Shew  mercy  to  the  saints  for  Clirist's  sake,  and  Christ 
shall  reward  you  for  the  saints'  sake.  Among  all  other  pris- 
oners, visit  your  own  :  for  it  is  enclosed  in  a  perilous  pris- 
on. 

''  If  you  will  love  God,  hate  evil,  and  you  shall  obtahi 
the  reward  of  well  doing. 

*'  Thus,  fu-e  you  well,  good  Anne.  Have  me  heartily 
commended  to  all  that  love  the  Lord  unfeignedly.  I  be- 
seech you,  have  nic  in  your  prayer,  while  I  am  living  ;  and 


326  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS, 

I  am  assured,  the  Lord  will  accept  it.  Bring  up  my  chil- 
dren, and  yours,  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  then  shall  I  not 
fail,  but  receive  you  together  in  the  everlasting  kingdom  of 
God,  into  which  I  hope  to  go. 

Your  husband, 

Robert  Smith." 

About  the  same  time  that  Smith  was  burnt,  three  oth- 
ers, who  had  been  condemned  by  bishop  Bonner,  shared 
the  same  fate  :  namely,  Stephen  Harwood,  Thomas  Fust, 
and  William  Hale.  The  first  of  these  suffered  at  Strat- 
ford, near  Bow ;  tlie  second  at  Ware  ;  and  the  third  at 
Barnet. 


The  persecution  and  Martyrdom  of  Robert  Samuel,  a  Min- 
ister of  Bradford  in  Suffolk, 

Robert  Samuel  was  a  very  pious  man,  and  an  emi- 
nent preacher  of  the  gospel,  according  to  the  principles  of 
the  reformation,  during  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.  He  at- 
tended his  charge  with  indefatigable  industry,  and  by  his 
preaching  and  living  recommended  and  enforced  the  truth 
of  the  gospel. 

Soon  after  the  accession  of  queen  Mary,  he  was  turned 
out  of  his  living,  and  retired  to  Ipswich  ;  but  he  could  not 
withstand  using  his  utmost  efforts  to  propagate  the  reform- 
ed religion,  and,  therefore,  what  he  was  denied  doing  ii> 
public,  he  did  in  private. 

While  he  was  spending  his  time  in  this  christian  man- 
ner, the  queen  commanded  the  commissioners  for  ecclesi- 
astical affairs,  to  publish  an  order,  that  all  priests  who  had 
been  married  in  the  days  of  king  Edward,  should  put  away 
their  wives,  and  be  compelled  again  to  chastity,  (as  their 
hypocritical  term  expressed  it)  and  a  single  life. 

This  order,  Samuel  could  by  no  means  obey ;  be- 
cause, he  knew  it  to  be  abominable,  and  contrary  to  the  law 
of  Christ,  and  to  every  tie,  social  and  humane.  Therefore, 
determining  with  himself,  that  God's  laws  were  not  to  be 
violated  for  the  traditions  (gf  men,  he  still  kept  his  wife  at 


PERSECUTES    BY    THE      PAPISTS,  QS^ 

Ipswich,  and  omitted  no  opportunity  of  instructing  his 
christian  friends  in  the  neighbourhood. 

At  length,  his  conduct  reaching  the  ears  of  Foster,  a  jus- 
tice of  peace  in  those  parts,  every  artifice  was  used  by  that 
popish  bigot  to  apprehend  Samuel,  who  was  taken  into 
custody  by  some  of  his  myrmidons,  when  on  a  visit  to  his 
wife  at  Ipswich. 

Being  taken  before  Foster,  he  was  committed  to  Ips- 
wich goal,  where  he  conversed  and  prayed  with  many  of  hi$ 
fellow-sufferers,  during  his  confinement  in  that  place. 

In  a  short  time,  he  was  removed  from  Ipswich,  to  Nor- 
wich, where  Dr.  Hopton,  the  persecuting  bishop  of  that 
diocess,  and  Dunning  the  chancellor,  exercised  on  him  the 
most  intolerable  cruelties. 

In  order  to  bring  Samuel  to  recant,  they  confined  him  in 
a  close  prison,  where  he  was  chained  to  a  post  in  such  a 
manner,  that  standing  only  on  tiptoe,  he  was,  in  that  posi*- 
lion,  forced  to  sustain  the  weight  of  his  body. 

To  aggravate  this  torment,  they  kept  him  in  a  starving 
condition  twelve  days,  allowing  him  no  more  than  two 
bits  of  bread,  and  three  spoonfuls  of  water,  each  day, 
which  was  done  in  order  to  protract  his  misery,  till  they 
could  invent  new  torments,  to  overcome  his  patience  and 
resolution. 

These  inhuman  proceedings  brought  him  to  so  shocking 
a  state,  that,  ready  to  perish  with  thirst,  he  would  often 
gladly  have  drank  his  own  water ;  but  his  body  was  so 
parched,  that  he  emitted  not  a  single  drop  of  urine. 

At  length,  when  all  the  tortures,  that  these  savage^ 
could  invent,  proved  ineffectual ;  and  nothing  could  induce 
our  martyr  to  deny  his  great  Lord  and  Master,  he  was  con- 
demned to  be  burned  ;  an  act  less  cruel  tlian  what  he  had 
already  suffered. 

On  the  31st  of  the  month  called  x\ugust,  1555,  he  was 
led  to  the  stake,  where  he  declared  to  the  people  ai'ound 
him,  what  cruelties  he  suffered  during  the  time  of  his  im- 
pwsonment,  but  that  he  had  been  enabled  to  sustain  them 
all  by  the  consolation  of  the  divine  spirit,  with  winch  hr 
had  been  dailv  risitedi 


328  PERSECtfTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

As  this  eminent  martyr  was  leading  to  execution,  a  young 
woman,  who  had  belonged  to  his  congregation,  and  receiv- 
ed the  benefit  of  his  spiritual  discourses,  came  up  to  him, 
and,  as  the  last  token  of  respect,  cordially  embraced  him. 
This  being  observed  by  some  of  the  blood-thirsty  papists, 
diligent  inquiry  was  made  for  her  the  next  day,  in  order  to 
bring  her  to  the  stake,  but  she  happily  eluded  their  search, 
and  escaped  their  cruel  intentions. 

Before  he  was  chained  to  the  stake,  he  exhorted  the  spec- 
tators to  avoid  idolatry,  and  hold  fast  to  the  truth  of  the 
gospel ;  after  which,  he  kneeled  down,  and,  with  an  audible 
voice,  said  the  following  prayer  : 

*'  O  Lord,  my  God  and  Saviour  ;  who  art  Lord  in  heav- 
en and  earth,  maker  of  all  things,  visible  and  invisible,  I 
am  the  creature,  and  work  of  thy  hands  :  Lord  God, 
look  upon  me  and  others  thy  people,  who,  at  this  time, 
are  oppressed  by  the  worldly- mincled;for  thy  law's  sake  ; 
yea.  Lord,  thy  law  itself  is  now  trodden  under  foot,  and 
men's  inventions  exalted  above  it  ;  and,  for  that  cause,  do 
I,  and  many  of  thy  creatures,  refuse  the  glory,  praise,  and 
€onveniencies  of  this  life,  and  do  chuse  to  suffer  adversity, 
and  to  be  banished,  yea,  to  be  burnt,  with  the  books  of  thy 
Avord,  for  the  hope -sake  that  is  laid  up  in  store.  For, 
Lord,  thou  knowest,  if  we  would  but  seem  to  please  men 
in  things  contrary  to  thy  word,  we  might,  by  their  permis- 
sion, enjoy  these  advantages  that  others  do,  as  wife,  chil- 
dren, goods,  and  friends  ;  all  which,  I  acknowledge,  to  be 
thy  gifts,  given  to  the  end  I  should  serve  thee.  And  now, 
Lord,  that  the  world  will  not  suffer  me  to  enjoy  them,  ex- 
cept I  offend  thy  laws,  behold,  I  give  unto  thee  my  whole 
spirit,  soul,  and  body  ;  and  lo,  I  leave  here  all  the  pleasures 
of  this  life,  and  do  now  leave  the  use  of  them,  for  the  hope- 
sake  of  eternal  life  purchased  in  Christ's  blood,  and  pro- 
mised to  all  them  that  fight  on  his  side,  and  are  content  to 
suffer  with  him  for  his  truth,  whensoever  the  world  and 
the  devil  shall  persecute  the  same. 

"  O  Father,  I  do  not  presume  to  come  unto  thee,  trust- 
ing in  mine  own  righteousness  ;  no,  but  only  in  the  merits 
of  thy  dear  Son  my  Saviour.  For  which  excellent  gift  of 
salvation,  I  cannot  worthily  praise  thee,  neither  is  my  saG^ 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS*  ^529 

rifice  worthy,  or  to  be  accepted  with  thee,  in  comparison  of 
our  bodies  mortified,  and  obedient  unto  thy  will :  and  now, 
Lord,  whatsoever  rebellion  hath  been,  or  is  found  in  mV 
members  against  thy  will,  yet  do  I  here  give  unto  thee  my 
body  to  the  death,  rather  than  1  will  use  any  strange  wor* 
shipping,  which,  1  beseech  thee,  accept  at  my  hand  for  a 
pure  sacrifice.  Let  this  torment  be  to  me  the  last  enemy 
destroyed,  even  deaih,  the  end  of  misery,  and  the  begin- 
ning of  all  joy,  peace,  and  solace :  and  when  the  time  of 
resurrection  comedi  then  let  me  enjoy  again  these  mem- 
bers then  glorified,  which  now  be  spoiled  and  consumed 
by  the  fiie.  O  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit  into  thy 
hands.     Amen." 

Wlieiihe  ad  finished  '>is  prayer,  he  arose,  and  being 
fastened  to  the  stake,  the  fagots  were  placed  round  him, 
and  immtdiatei}  lighted.  He  bore  his  sufferings  with  a 
courage  and  resolution  truly  christian,  cheerful Iv  re- 
signing this  life  of  care  and  trouble  in  exchange  for 
another,  where  death  shall  be  swallowed  up  in  victory, 
where  tears  shall  be  wi[)ed  away  from  all  eyes,  and  an 
eternity  emplo}  ed  in  singing  the  praises  of  that  grace, 
which  has  brought  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  ts-rough 
much  tribulation,  and  advanced  them  to  mansions  at  thq 
right  hand  of  God,  where  are  pleasures  for  evermore. 

As  he  was  a  fauhful  pastor  over  liis  flock  during  his 
lifi ,  so  he  was  resolved  they  shoii.d  not  forget  him  after 
his  death,  as  aj.j^ears  ijy  the  following  composition, 
which  he  wrote  during  nis  confinement. 


ji  letter  of  exhort  a  f'wn  from  R.  Samuel^  to  some  of  the 
Congregation  over  whom  he  presided^ 

*^  A  MAN  knoweth  not  his  time  ;  but  as  a  fish  is  taken 
with  the  angle,  and  as  the  biids  are  caught  with  the. 
snare,  so  are  men  caught  and  taken  in  the  perilous  time 
when  it  Cometh  u])on  them.  The  time  cometh;  the  day 
draweth  near.  Letter  it  were  to  die  (as  the  preacher 
saith)  than  to  live  and  see  the  miserable  works  which 
are  done  under  the  san. 

.2  TJ 


330  PElfsfiCUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

<*  Alas !  for  this  sinful  nation,  a  people  of  great  iniqui- 
ty, corrupting  their  ways.  They  have  forsaken  the 
Lord  ;  they  have  provoked  the  holy  one  of  Israel  to  an- 
gtr,  and  are  gone  backward.  Who  now  liveth  not  in 
such  security  and  rest,  as  though  all  dangers  were  clean 
over-past?  Yea,  who  liveth  not  now  in  such  felicity, 
worldly  pleasures,  and  joys,  wholly  seeking  the  world, 
providing,  and  craftily  shifting  for  the  earthly  clod  and 
carnal  appetite,  as  though  sin  were  clean  forgotten,  over- 
thrown,  and  devoured  ? 

''  VVe  might  now  worthily,  dear  christians,  lament  and 
bewail  our  heavy  estate,  miserable  condition,  and  sor- 
rowful  chance ;  yes,  I  say,  we  might  well  accuse  our- 
selves, and,  whh  Job,  curse  these  our  turbulent,  wick- 
ed, and  bloody  last  days  of  this  world,  were  it  not  that 
Ave  both  see  and  believe,  and  find  in  God's  sacred  book, 
that  God  hath  reserved  a  remnant  in  all  ages,  I  mean 
the  faithful,  as  many  as  have  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world  exercised,  with  divers  afflictions  and  troubles, 
cast  and  dashed  against  all  perils  and  ^iangers,  as  the 
very  dross  and  outcasts  of  the  earth,  and  yet  will  in  no 
wise  halt  between  God  and  Baal.  Christ  will  not  part 
spoil  with  his  mortal  enemy  the  devil :  he  will  have  all, 
or  lose  ail ;  he  will  not  permit  the  devil  to  have  the  ser- 
vice of  the  body,  and  he  to  stand  contented  with  the 
heart  and  mind  ;  but  he  will  be  glorified  both  in  your 
bodies  and  your  spirits,  which  are  his,  as  St.  Paul  saith, 
1  Cor.  vi.  For  he  hath  made,  bought  all,  and  dearly 
paid  for  all,  as  St.  Peter  saith.  With  his  own  immacu- 
late body,  hath  he  clean  discharged  your  bodies  from 
sin,  Ideath,  and  hell,  and,  with  his  most  precious  blood, 
paid  your  ransom,  and  full  price,  once  for  all,  and  for 
ever. 

*'  Now,  what  harm,  I  pray  you,  or  what  loss  sustain 
you  by  this?  Why  are  ye,  O  vain  men,  more  afraid  of 
Jesus,  your  gentle  Saviour,  and  his  gospel  of  salvation, 
than  of  a  legion  of  cruel  devils,  going  about,  with  false 
delusions,  utterly  to  destroy  you  both  soul,  and  bodies  ? 
Think  you  to  be  more  sure  than  under )  our  captain  Christ? 
Do  you  promise  yourselves  to  be  more  quiet  in  Satan's 


l^ERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  331 

service,  than   in  Christ's    religion  ?  Esteem  you  more 
these  transitory  and  pernicious  pleasures,  than  God  and 
all  his  heavenly  treasures  ?  O  palpable  darkness,  horri- 
ble madness,  and  wilful  blindness,  without  comparison, 
too  much  to  be  suffered  any  longer  !  Wc  see,  and  will 
not  see;  we  know,  and  will  not  know ;  yea,  we  smart,  and 
will  not  feel,  and  that  our  consciences  well  know.     O 
miserable  souls,  which  would,  for  foolish  pleasures,  lose 
the  royal   kingdom,  and  permanent  joys  of  God,  with 
the  everlasting  glory  which  he  hath  prepared  for  them 
that  truly  love  him,  and  renounce  the  world  !   The  chil- 
dren of  the  world  live  in  pleasure  and   wealth,  and  the 
devil,  w^ho  is  their  god,  and  prince  in  this  world,  keepeth 
their  wealth  which  is  proper  unto  them,  and  letteth  them 
enjoy  it.     But  let  us  which  be  of  Christ,  seek  and  inquire 
for  heavenly  things,  which,  by  God's  promise  and  mer- 
cy in  Christ,  shall  be  peculiar  unto  us.     Let  carnal  peo? 
pie  pass  for  things  that  be  pleasant  for  the  body,  and  do 
appertam  to  this  transitory  life  :   *'  yet  shall  they  once  (as 
the  kingly  prophet  saith)  run  about  the  city  of  God,  to 
and  fro,  howling  like  dogs,  desiring  one  scrap  of  the  joys 
of  God's  elect ;"  but  all  too  late,  as  the  rich  glutton  did. 
''  Let  us,  therefore,  press  for  those  things  that  do  per- 
tain to  the  spirit,  and  are  celestial,     ^Ve  must  be  here 
(St.  Paul  saith)  not  as  inhabiters,  and    home-dwellers, 
but  as  strangers  ;  not  as    strangers  only,  but  after  the 
mind  of  Paul,  as  painful  soldiers  appointed  by  our  gover- 
nor of  darkness  of  this  world,  against  spiritual  craftiness 
in  heavenly  things.     The  time  is  come  ;   we  must  to  it ; 
the  judgment  must  begin  first  at  the  house  of  God.  Be- 
gan they  not  first  with  the  green  and  sappy  tree  ?  And 
what  followed  then  on  the  dry  branches  ?  Jeremy  speak- 
ing in  the  person  of  God,  saith,  **  in  the  city,  wherein  my 
name  is  invocated,  will  I  begin  to  punish,"    but  as  for 
you  (meaning  the  \t^icked)  shall  you  be   innocents,   and 
not  once  touched  ?  Nay,  the  dregs  of  God's  wrath,  the 
bottom  of  all  sorrows,  are   reserved  unto  them  in    the 
end  :   but  God's  household  shall  drink  the  flower  of  the 
cup  of  mercy.     Wherefore,  we  ought  not  to  be  dismay- 
ed, or  discourage  ourselves,  but  rather  be  of  good  com^ 


332  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

fort ;  not  sorrowful,  but  joj^ful,  in  that  God  of  his  good- 
ness will  vouchsafe  to  take  up  his  beloved  children,  to 
subdue  our  sinful  lusts,  our  wretchtd  flesh  and  biood 
unto  his  glory,  the  promoting  of  his  holv  word,  and  edi- 
fying of  his  church.  What,  if  the  earthly  hou^e  of  this 
our  habitation.  2  Cor.  v.  (St.  Paul,  meaning  the  body)  be 
destroyed  !  we  know  assuredly  we  have  a  building  not 
made  with  hands,  but  everlasting  in  heaven,  with  such 
jo\  s  as  faith  taketh  not,  hope  toucheth  not,  and  charity 
apprehendeth  not.  They  pass  all  desires  and  wishes. — - 
Obtained  they  may  be  by  Christ,  esteemed  they  cannot 
be.  Wherefore,  the  more  affliction  and  persecution  the 
word  of  God  [:)ri!}geth,  tl:ie  more  felicity  and  greater  joy 
abide  in  heaven.  But  worldly  peace,  idle  ease,  wealthy 
pleasure,  and  this  present  and  pleasant  transitory  life  and 
felicity,  which  the  ungodly  foolish  imagine  to  procure 
unto  themselves,  by  persecuting  and  thrusting  away  the 
gospel,  shiill  turn  unto  their  own  trouble,  and,  at  last, 
unto  horrible  destructions,  and  dire  change  of  realms  and 
countries;  and  after  this  life,  if  they  repent  not,  unto 
their  perpetual  misery.  For  tiiey  iiad  rather,  with  Na- 
bal,  and  his  temporal  pleasures,  descend  to  the  devil, 
than  with  Christ,  and  his  bodily  troubles,  ascend  into 
the  kingdom  of  God  Ids  Father.  *'  But  an  unwise  man 
(saith  the  psalmist)  comprehendeth  them  not,  neither 
doth  the  foolihh  understand  them  ;"  that  is,  these  bloody 
persecutors  grow  up  and  flourish  like  the  flowers  and 
grass  in  the  field.  But  unto  this  end  do  they  so  flourish, 
that  they  may  be  cut  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire  forever. 
For,  as  Job  saith,  "their  joy  lasteth  but  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye,'*  and  death  shall  lie  gnawing  upon  them  as  doth 
the  flock  upon  the  pasture  ;  yea,  the  cruel  worm,  late 
repentance  (as  St.  Mark  saith)  shall  lie  gnawing,  torment- 
ing, and  accusing  their  vv^retched  conscience  for  ever- 
more. 

"  i-et  us,  therefore,  good  christians,  be  constant  in 
obeying  God  rather  than  men.  For  although  they  slay 
our  sinful  bodies  (yea,  rather  our  deadly  enemies)  for 
God's  truth  ;  yet  they  cannot  do  it,  but  by  God's,  will,  to 
his  praise  and  honour^  and  to  our  eternal  joy  and  felicity. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  S33 

These  are  the  da}  s  of  vengeance,  saith  St.  Luke,  that  all 
thhigs  written  may  be  fuililled.  Now,  thereibre,  baith  God, 
by  the  mouth  of  his  prophet,  *' I  will  come  unto  thee, 
and  will  send  my  wrath  upon  thee."  Upon  thee,  I  say, 
O  England,  and  punish  ihee,  according  to  thy  ways,  Lnd 
reward  thee  after  all  thine  abomination  !  '1  hou  hast  kind- 
led the  fire  of  God's  wrath,  and  hast  stirred  up  the  coals. 
For  thou  wast  once  enlightened,  and  hadst  tasted  of 
heavenly  gift,  and  wast  become  partaker  of  the  Koly 
Ghost,  and  hadst  tasted  of  the  good  word  of  God  :  yea, 
it  is  yet  in  thy  mouth,  saith  the  prophet.  Alas,  O  Eng- 
land, thou  knowest  thy  Lord  and  master's  will,  but  didst 
not  do  it !  thou  must,  therefore,  says  he,  suffer  many 
stripes,  and  many  sharp  strokes. 

*'  Let  the  enemies  of  Christ,  and  all  unbelievers,  look 
to  be  tormented  and  vexed,  without  hope  of  God's  mer- 
cy, who  know  not  God  in  Christ  to  be  their  very  right- 
eousness, their  life,  their  own  salvation,  and  alone  Sav- 
iour, nor  believe  in  him. 

"  But  we  are  the  children  of  saints,  and  look  for  an- 
other life,  which  God  shall  give  to  all  them  who  change 
not  their  faith,  and  shrink  not  from  him.  Rejoice,  there- 
fore, ye  christian  afflicted  brethren,  for  they  cannot  take 
our  souls  and  bodies  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Almighty, 
which  are  kept  as  in  the  bosom  of  our  most  loving  Fa- 
ther ;  and,  if  we  abide  fast  in  Christ,  and  turn  not  away, 
surely  we  shall  live  for  ever.  Clirist  afiirmetli  the  same, 
saying,  *'  my  sheep  hear  my  voice,  I  know  them,  they 
hearken  unto  me,  and  to  no  strangers,  and  I  give  them 
everlasting  life  :  for  they  shall  not  be  lost,  and  no  man 
shall  pluck  tliem  out  of  my  hands  :"  no,  nor  yet  this  flat- 
tering world,  with  all  its  vain  pleasures,  nor  any  tyrant, 
with  his  threats,  can  once  move  tliem  out  of  the  way  of 
eternal  life.  What  consolation,  or  comfort,  can  we  have 
more  pleasant  and  efiectual  than  this  ?  God  is  on  our  side, 
and  fighteth  for  us.  As  the  world  can  do  nothing  against 
his  might,  neither  in  putting  away  or  dimiiiishing  from 
his  glory,  nor  putting  him  from  his  celestial  throne  ;  so 
neither  can  it  hurt  any  of  his  children  without  his  good 
will :  for  we  are  members  of  his  body,   of  his  flesh,  and 


334  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

of  his  bones,  and  as  dear  to  him  as  the  apple  of  his  eye. 
Let  us,  therefore,  with  earnest  faith,  lay  fast  hold  on  the 
promises  in  the  gospel,  and  let  us  not  be  separated  from 
the  same  by  temptation,  tribulation,  or  persecution. 

**  Let  us  consider  the  truth  of  God  to  be  invincible  and 
immutable,  promising  and  giving  us,  his  faithful  soldiers, 
life  eternal.  It  is  he  only  that  hath  reserved  it  for  us : 
it  is  his  only  benefit,  and  of  his  only  mere  mercy,  and  un- 
to him  only  must  we  render  thanks.  Let  not,  therefore, 
the  vain  fantiisies  and  dreams  of  men,  and  foolish 
gaudy  toys  of  the  world,  nor  ttic  cjafty  delusions  of  the 
devil,  drive,  and  separate  us  from  our  hope  of  the  crown 
of  righteousness,  that  is  laid  up  in  store  for  us  against  the 
last  day.  O,  that  happy  and  joyful  day,  I  mean,  to  the 
faitliful,  when  Christ,  by  his  covenant,  shall  grant  and 
give  unto  them  that  overcome,  and  keep  his  words  to  the 
end,  that  they  may  ascend  and  sit  with  him,  as  he  ascend- 
ed and  sitteth  on  the  throne  with  his  Father  !  the  same 
body  and  soul  that  are  now  with  Christ  afflicted,  shall 
then  with  Christ  be  glorified :  now  in  cruel  hands,  a 
sheep  appointed  to  die  ;  then  sitting  at  God's  table  wdth 
Christ  in  his  kingdom,  as  God's  honourable  and  dear 
children  ;  where  we  shall  have  heavenly  riches  for  earth- 
ly poverty  ;  fulness  of  the  presence  of  the  glory  of  God, 
for  hunger  and  thirst ;  celestial  joys  in  the  company  of 
angels,  for  sorrows,  troubles,  and  cold  irons ;  and  life 
eternal  for  bodily  death.  O  happy  souls  !  O  precious 
death,  and  evermore  blessed,  right  dear  in  the  eyes  of 
God  !  to  you  the  sprnig  of  the  Lord  shall  ever  be  flour- 
ishing. Then  (as  saith  Isaiah)  the  Redeemer  shall  return, 
and  come  again  into  Sion  ;  praising  the  Lord,  and  eternal 
mercies  shall  be  over  their  heads  :  they  shall  obtain 
mirth  and  comfort ;  sorrow  and  wo  shall  be  utterly  van- 
quished. Yes,  I  am  he,  saith  the  Lord,  that  in  all  things 
giveth  you  everlasting  consolation.  To  whom,  with  the 
Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  glory  and  praise  for  ever. 
Amen. 

Robert  Samuel.'' 


PERSESUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  335 

About  the  time  that  Samuel  suffered,  several  others 
shared  die  same  fate,  for  adherifig  to  the  prmciples  of  the 
reformed  religion. 

William  Allen,  a  labouring  man,  was  burnt  at  Wal- 
singham,  in  Norfolk. 

Thomas  Cobb,  a  butcher,  suffered  at  Thetford,  in  the 
same  county. 

Roger  Coo,  an  ancient  man  of  independence,  was  burnt 
at  Ycxford,  in  Suffolk. 

Four  others  also  suffered  about  the  same  time  at  Can- 
terbury, viz.  George  Cotmer,  Robert  Slreatcr,  Anthony 
Burward,  and  George  Brodridge  ;  all  of  whom  bore  their 
punishment  with  christian  fortitude,  glorifying  God  in 
the  midst  of  the  flames. 


The  sufferings  and  Martyrdoms  of  Robert  Glover^  and 
Conieiius  £o?igei/y  both  of  the  citij  of  Coventry. 

At  the  time  Robert  Glover  was  apprehended,  he  lay 
sick  at  the  house  of  his  brodier  John  Glover,  who  had 
secreted  himself,  on  account  of  a  warrant  being  issued 
to  brmg  him  before  his  ordinary,  on  a  suspicion  of  here- 
sy. 

Though  Glover  was  in  great  danger  from  the  indispo- 
sition of  his  health,  yet  such  was  the  brutality  of  the  po- 
pish emissaries,  that  tliey  took  him  out  of  his  bed,  and 
carried  him  to  Coventry  gaol,  where  he  continued  ten 
days,  though  no  misdemeanor  was  alleged  against  him. 

When  the  ten  days  were  expired,  in  which*  he  suffered 
great  affliction  from  his  illness,  he  was  brought  before  his 
ordinary,  the  bishop  of  Litchfield  and  Coventry,  Vv  ho  told 
him  that  he  must  submit  to  ecclesiastical  authority,  and 
stand  reproved  for  not  coming  to  church. 

Glover  assured  his  lordship,  that  hz  neither  had,  nor 
would  come  to  church,  so  long  as  the  mass  was  used 
there,  to  save  five  hundred  lives,  challenging  liini  to  pro- 
duce one  proof  from  scripture  to  justify  that  idolatrous 
practice. 


336  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

After  a  long  altercation  with  the  bishop,  in  which,  Glov- 
er both  learnedly  and  judiciously  defended  the  doctrines 
of  tlie  reformation,  against  the  errors  and  idolatries  of 
popery,  and  evinced  that  he  was  able  to  give  a  reason  for 
the  faith  he  professed,  he  was  remanded  back  to  Coven- 
try gaol,  where  he  was  kept  close  prisoner,  w^ithout  a  bed, 
though  much  indisposed  ;  but  nevertheless,  the  divine 
comforts  enabled  him  to  s^istain  such  cruel  treatment 
without  repining,  till,  at  length,  he  was  permitted  to  pro- 
vide himself  with  that  necessary  convenience. 

From  Coventry,  he  was  removed  to  Litchfield,  where 
he  was  visited  by  the  chancellor  and  prebendaries,  who 
exhorted  him  to  recant  his  errors,  and  be  dutiful  to  the 
holy  mother- church  ;  but  he  refused  to  conform  to  that, 
or  any  other  church,  whose  doctrines  and  practices  were 
not  founded  on  scripture  authority,  which  ht  determined 
to  make  the  sole  rule  of  his  religious  conduct. 

After  this  visit,  he  remained  alone  eight  days,  at  the 
expiration  of  which^  he  was  again  brought  before  the 
bishop,  who  inquired  how  his  imprisonment  agreed  with 
him,  and  warmly  entreated  him  to  become  a  member 
of  the  mother- church,  which  liad  continued  many  years  ; 
whereas  the  church,  of  wrach  he  had  professed  himself 
a  member,  was  not  known  but  in  the  time  of  Edward 
VI. 

With  respect  to  the  inquiry,  our  martyr  was  silent^ 
treating  it  with  that  contempt  which  such  mean  behclv- 
iour  in  a  prelate  deserved,  but  told  his  lordship,  that  he 
professed  himself  a  member  of  that  church,  which  isr 
built  on  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus 
Christ  himself  beinj^  the  chief  corner-stone  :  and  then 
quoted  that  well-known  passage  in  the  epistle  of  St.  Paul 
to  tlie  Ephesians.  This  church,  added  he,  hath  been 
from  the  beginning,  though  it  bore  no  pompous  shew  be- 
fore the  woi'ld,  being,  for  the  most  part,  under  crosses 
and  aiHictions,  despised,  rejected,  and  persecuted. 

After  much  debate,  in  widch,  Glover  cited  scripture 
for  wliatever  he  advanced,  to  the  confusion  and  indig- 
i;iation  of  the  haughty  prelate,  he  was  commanded, ,  on 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS^  357 

his  obedience,  to  hold  his  peace,  as  a  proud  and  arrogant 
heretic. 

Glover  then,  with  a  spirit  becoming  a  man  and  a  chris* 
tian,  told  the  bishop,  he  was  not  to  be  convinced  by  inso- 
lent and  imperious  behaviour,  but  by  sound  reasoning, 
founded  on  scripture;  desiring,  at  the  same  time,  that 
he  would  propound  to  liim  some  articles  ;  but  the  bish- 
op chose  to  decline  that  method  of  proceeding,  till  he 
should  be  summoned  to  the  consistory-court,  dismissing 
him  with  an  assurance,  that  he  should  be  kept  in  prison, 
and  there  have  neither  meat  nor  drink,  till  he  recanted  hi^ 
heresies. 

Our  martyr  heard  the  cruel  words  with  patience  and 
resignation,  lifting  up  his  heart  to  God,  that  he  might  be 
enabled  to  stand  steadfast  in  the  faith  of  the  glorious! 
•gospel. 

When  he  was  brought  into  the  consistory- court,  the 
bishop  demanded  of  him,  how  many  sacraments  Christ 
had  instituted  to  be  used  in  his  church  ?  He  replied,  two,- 
Baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  no  more. 

Being  asked,  if  he  allowed  confession,  he  answered  iti 
the  negative. 

'  With  respect  to  the  real  presence  in  the  sacrament  ol; 
the  altar,  he  declaimed,  that  the  mass  ^vas  neither  sacri- 
iice  nor  sacrament,  because  they  had  taken  away  the 
true  institution  ;  and  when  they  should  restore  it,  he 
would  give  his  judgment  concerning  Christ's  body  in  the 
sacrament. 

After  several  other  examinations,  public  and  private,, 
ivc  was  condemned  as  a  heretic,  and  delivered  over  to 
the  secular  power. 

Cornelius  Bongey,  (who  was  apprehended  much  about 
the  same  time  as  Glover,  and  suffered  with  him)  was  ex- 
amined by  Randolph,  bishop  of  Litchfield  and  Coventry, 
and  the  following  articles  alleged  against  him  : 

1.  That  he  did  hold,  maintain,  and  teach  in  the  city  of 
Coventry,  that  the  priest  hath  no  power  to  absolve  a  sin* 
nor  from  his  sins. 


2  X 


ass  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPIST«^ 

2.  That  he  asserted,  there  were  in  the  church  of 
Christ  but  two  sacraments,  Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

3.  That  in  the  sacrament  of  the  popish  altar,  there  were 
Bot  the  real  body  and  blood  of  Christ  but  the  substance 
of  bread  and  wine,  even  after  consecration. 

4.  That  for  the  space  of  several  years,  he  did  hold  and 
defend,  that  the  pope  is  not  the  head  of  the  visible  church 
on  earth. 

Bongey  acknowledged  the  justness  of  these  allegations, 
^nd  protested  that  he  would  hold  fast  to  them  so  long  as 
he  lived;  in  consequence  of  which,  he  also  was  deliver- 
ed over  to  the  secular  power. 

On  the  20th  of  the  month  called  September,  1555, 
these  two  martyrs  were  led  to  the  stake  at  Coventry, 
where  they  both  yielded  up  their  spirits  to  that  God  who 
gave  them,  hoping,  through  the  merits  of  the  great  Re- 
deemer, for  a  glorious  resurrection  to  life  immortal. 

Jo'mi  and  William  Glover,  brothers  to  Robert,  were 
sought  after  by  the  popish  emissaries,  in  order  to  be 
brought  to  the  stake,  but  they  eluded  their  searches,  and 
happily  escaped.  However,  tlie  resentment  of  the  popish 
persecutors  did  not  cease  here,  for  after  their  deaths,  the 
bones  of  one  were  taken  up  and  dispersed  in  the  highway; 
and  the  remains  of  the  other  were  deposited  in  a  com- 
mon field. 


The  Martyrdoms  of  Will  am  IVolsey,  and  Robert  Pigot, 
both  of  the  Isle  of  Ely,  in  the  county  of  Cambridge. 

Information  being  laid  against  these  two  persons 
by  the  popish  emissaries,  they  were  sought  after,  and 
soon  apprehended.  William  Wolsey  was  first  taken; 
and,  being  brought  before  a  neighbouring  justice,  vas 
bound  over  to  appear  at  the  ensuing  sessions,  to  be  hold- 
en  for  the  Isle  of  Ely.  But,  a  few  days  after,  he  was  taken 
into  custody,  and  committed  to  Wisbeach  gaol,  there  to 
remain  till  the  next  assizes  for  the  county. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS>  ^3I> 

During  his  confinement  here,  he  was  visited  by  the 
ehaficellor  of  Ely,  who  told  him,  that  he  was  out  of  the 
pale  of  the  catholic  church,  and  desired  that  he  would 
not  meddle  any  more  with  the  scriptures  thim  became  a 
layman. 

After  a  short  pause,  Wolsey  addressed  the  chancellor 
as  follows  :  *'  Good  doctor,  what  did  our  Saviour  mean, 
when  he  said,  Matt,  xxi-.i.  But  wo  unto  you,  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  for  ye  shut  up  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  against  men  :  for  ye  neither  go  in  yourselves, 
neither  suffer  ye  them  that  are  entering  to  go  in." 

Robert  Pigot  was  apprehended,  and  brought  before 
Sir  Clement  Hyam,  judge,  who  reproved  him  scverelr 
for  absenting  himself  from  church.  The  reason  he  as- 
signed for  his  absence  was,  that  he  deemed  the  church  a 
congregation  of  believers,  assembled  together  for  the 
worship  of  God,  according  to  the  manner  laid  down  in 
his  most  holy  word  ;  and  not  a  church  of  human  in- 
vention, founded  on  the  whimsical  fancy  of  fallible 
men. 

In  consequence  of  this  answer,  he  was  with  Wolsey, 
committed  to  prison,  where  they  both  remained,  tiU  the 
day  appointed  for  their  execution. 

During  their  confinement,  several  of  the  neighbours 
came  to  visit  them,  among  whom,  was  Peter  Valerices, 
a  Frenchman,  chaplain  to  the  bishop  of  Ely,  who  thus 
addressed  them  :  ''  My  brethren,  according  to  mine  of- 
fice, I  am  come  to  talk  with  you,  for  I  have  been  almoner 
here  these  twenty  years  and  more;  wherefore,  my  breth- 
ren, I  desire  you  to  take  it  in  good  part.  I  desire  not  to 
enforce  you  from  your  faith,  but  I  require  and  desire  you, 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  you  stand  to  the  truth  of 
his  gospel,  and  his  word  ;  and  I  beseech  Almighty  God, 
for  his  Son's  sake,  to  preserve  both  you  and  me  in  the 
same  unto  the  end,  for  I  know  not,  brethren,  how  soon  I 
may  be  in  the  same  case  with  you." 

This  address,  being  so  different'from  what  was  expect- 
ed,  drew  tears  from  all  wno  were  present,  and  greatly 
comforted  our  martyrs. 


^g40  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS, 

On  the  9th  of  the  month  called  October,  Pigot  and 
V/olsey  were  brought  before  Dr.  Fuller  the  chancellor, 
and  other  commissioners  for  ecclesiastical  affairs,  who 
laid  several  articles  to  their  charge,  but  particularly  that 
of  the  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

When  that  article  was  proposed,  they  jointly  declared 
the  sacrament  of  the  altar  was  an  idol,  and  that  the  real 
body  and  blood  of  Christ  were  not  present  in  the  said  sa- 
crament ;  and,  to  t!)is  opinion,  they  said  they  would  stand, 
though  at  the  peril  of  their  lives,  being  founded  on  the 
authority  of  God's  word,  which  enjoined  the  worship  of 
the  supreme  God  alone. 

After  this  declaration,  they  were  exhorted  by  Dr. 
Shaxton,  one  of  the  commissioners,  to  consider  of  the 
danger  of  continuing  in  that  belief,  and  recant  the  same, 
lest  they  should  die  here,  and  perish  hereafter  ;  adding, 
that  he  had  believed  as  they  did,  but  was  now  become  a 
liew  man  in  point  of  faith. 

This  not  having  any  effect.  Dr.  Fuller  upbraided  Wol- 
sey  with  obstinacy  and  fool- hardiness  ;  but  endeavoured 
to  sooth  Pigot  into  compliance,  desiring  one  of  the  at- 
tendants to  write  to  the  foUovv^ing  puq^ort  : 

<^  I  Robert  Pigot  do  believe,  that  after  the  words  of 
consecration  spoken  by  the  priest,  there  remain  no  more 
bread  and  wine,  but  the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ, 
substantially  the  self- same  that  was  born  of  the  Virgin 
Mary.'' 

It  was  then  read  to  Pigot  ;  and  his  answer  being  re- 
quired, he  briefly  said,  "  sir,  that  is  your  faith,  but 
never  shall  be  mine,  till  you  can  prove  it  from  scrip- 
ture.'' 

These  two  martyrs  thus  persevering  in  the  faith  of  the 
pure  gospel,  sentence  of  death  was  passed,  and  they  were 
both  ordered  to  be  burned  as  heretics. 

On  the  16th  of  the  month  called  October,  1555,  the 
day  appointed  for  their  execution,  they  were  conducted 
to  the  stake,  amidst  the  lamentations  of  great  numbers 
of  spectators.  Several  English  translations  of  the  New 
Testament  being  ordered  to  be  burned  with  them,  they 
look  each  oue  of  them  m  their  hands,  lamenting,  on  the 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  ^41 

one  hand,  the  destroying  so  valuable  a  repository  of  sac- 
red truth,  and  glorying,  on  the  other,  that  they  were 
deemed  worthy  of  sealing  the  same  with  their  blood. 

They  both  died  in  the  triumpit  of  faith,  magnifying  the 
power  of  divine  grace,  which  enables  the  servants  ot  God 
to  glory  in  tribulation,  and  count  ail  things  but  as  dross, 
for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  their 
Redeemer. 


The  kves,  sufferings,  and  Martyrdoms  of  Hugh  Latimer', 
bishop  of  Worcester  ;  and  Niclwlas  Ridley,  bishop  of 
London, 

Hugh  Latimer  was  born  of  mean  parents,  at  Thirke- 
ston,  m  Leicestershire,  about  the  5  ear  H75,  who  gave 
him   a   good  education,  and   sent  Zlam bridge, 

where  he  shewed  himself  a  zealor*  inveighed 

much  against  the   reformers,   ^  ne,  began 

to  make  some  figure  in  Eng  »'ersing  fre- 

quently with  Thomas  Bilne\,  .  ._  derable  per- 

son at  Cambridge  of  all  those  who  favoured  the  reforma. 
tion,  he  saw  the  errors  of  popery,  and  became  a  zealous 
protestant. 

Latimer  being  thus  converted,  laboured,  both  public- 
ly and  privately,  to  promote  the  reformed  opinions,  and 
pressed  the  necessity  of  a  holy  life,  in  opposition  to  those 
outward  performances,  which  were  then  thought  the  es- 
sentials of  religion.  This  rendered  him  obnoxious  at 
Cambridge,  then  the  seat  of  ignorance,  bigotry,  and  su- 
perstition. However,  the  unaftectcd  piety  of  Bilney,  and 
the  cheerful  and  natural  eloquence  of  honest  Latimer, 
wrought  greatly  upon  the  junior  students,  and  increased 
the  credit  of  the  protestants  so  much,  that  the  popish 
clergy  were  greatly  alarmed,  and  according  to  their  usu- 
al practice  called  aloud  for  the  secular  arm. 

Under  this  arm,  Bilney  sufxered  at  Norwich  :  but  his 
siift'erings,  far  from  shaking  the  reformation  at  CLimbridge, 
inspired  the  leaders  of  it  with  new  courage.  Latimer  be- 
gan to  exert  himself  moire  than  he  had  yet  done;    and 


342  PERSECUTED     BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

succeeded  to  that  credit  with  his  party,  which  Bilney  had 
so  long  supported.  Among  other  instances  of  his  zeal 
and  resolution  in  this  cause,  he  gave  one  which  was  very 
remarkable  :  he  had  the  courage  to  write  to  the  king 
(Henry  VIII)  against  a  proclamation,  then  just  publish- 
ed, forbidding  ihe  use  of  the  bible  in  English,  and  other 
books  on  religious  subjects.  He  had  preached  before 
the  king  once  or  twice  at  Windsor ;  and  had  been  taken 
notice  of  by  him  in  a  more  affable  manner,  than  that 
nionarcii  usually  indulged  towards  his  subjects.  But 
whatever  hopes  of  preferment  his  sovereign's  favour 
might  have  raised  in  him,  he  chose  to  put  ail  to  the  haz- 
ard, rather  t^ian  omit  what  he  thought  his  duty.  His  let- 
ter is  tlie  picture  of  an  honest  and  sincere  heart :  he  con- 
cludes in  these  terms  : 

*'  Accept,  gracious  sovereign,  without  displeasure, 
what  I  have  written.  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  mention 
these  things  to  your  mcjesty.  No  personal  quarrel,  as 
God  shall  judge  me,  have  I  with  any  man  :  I  wanted 
only  to  induce  your  majesty  to  consider  well,  what  kind 
of  persons  you  have  about  you,  and  the  ends  for  which 
they  counsel.  Indeed,  great  prince,  many  of  them,  or 
they  are  much  slandered,  have  very  private  ends.  God 
grant  your  majesty  may  see  through  all  the  designs  of 
evil  men,  and  be  in  all  things  equal  to  the  high  office, 
With  which  you  are  intrusted.  Wherefore,  gracious 
king,  remember  yourself;  have  pity  upon  your  own 
soul,  and  think  that  die  day  is  at  hand,  when  you  shall 
give  account  of  your  office,  and  the  blood  which  hath 
been  shed  by  your  sword  :  in  the  which  day,  that  your 
grace  may  stand  steadfastly,  and  not  be  ashamed,  but  be 
clear  and  ready  in  your  reckoning,  and  have  your  par- 
don sealed  with  the  blood  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  which 
alone  serveth  at  that  day,  is  my  daily  prayer  to  him,  who 
suffered  death  for  our  sins.  The  spirit  of  God  preserve 
you." 

Lord  Cromwell  was  now  grow^n  up  into  power,  and 
being  a  favourer  of  the  reformation,  he  obtained  a  bene- 
fice m  Wiltshire  for  Latimer,  who  immediately  w^ent 
thither  and  resided,  discharging  his  duty  in  a  veiy  con- 


PERS1€UTE»    BY     THB     PAPIS.TS>  -543 

scicntious  manner,  though  persecuted  much  at  the  same 
time,  by  the  Romish  clergy  ;  who,  at  length,  carried  their 
mahce  so  far  as  to  obtain  an  archiepiscopal  citation  for 
his  appearance  in  London.  Hi's  friends  would  have  had 
him  fly  ;  but  their  persuasions  were  in  vain.  He  set 
out  for  London  in  the  depth  of  winter,  and  under  a  severe 
fit  of  the  stone  and  colic  ;  but  he  was  most  distressed  at 
the  thoughts  of  leaving  his  parish  exposed  to  the  popish 
clergy.  On  his  arrival  at  London,  he  found  a  court  of 
bishops  and  canonisis  ready  to  receive  him  ;  where,  in- 
stead of  being  examined,  as  he  expected,  about  his  ser- 
mons, a  paper  was  put  into  his  hands,  which  he  was  or- 
dered to  subscribe,  declaring  his  belief  in  the  efficacy  of 
masses  for  the  souls  in  purgatory,  of  prayers  to  the  dead 
saints,  of- pilgrimages  to  their  sepulchres  and  relics,  the 
pope's  power  to  forgive  sins,  the  doctrine  of  merit,  the 
seven  sacraments,  and  the  worship  of  images ;  which, 
when  he  refused  to  sign,  the  archbishop,  with  a  frown, 
begged  he  would  consider  what  he  did.  "  We  intend 
not  (said  he)  Mr.  Latimer,  to  be  hard  upon  you ;  we 
dismiss  you  for  the  present ;  take  a  copy  of  the  articles  ; 
examine  them  carefully,  and  God  grant,  that  at  our  next 
meeting,  we  may  find  each  other  in  better  temper.'* 

The  next,  and  several  succeeding  meetings,  the  same 
scene  was  acted  over  again.  He  continued  inflexible, 
and  they  continued  to  distress  him.  Three  times, 
every  week,  they  regularly  sent  for  him,  with  a  view  ei- 
ther to  draw  something  from  him  by  captious  questions, 
or  to- tease  him  at  length  into  compliance.  Tired  out 
with  this  usage,  after  he  was  summoned  at  last,  instead 
of  going,  he  sent  a  letter  to  the  archbishop,  in  which, 
with  great  freedom,  he  told  him,  "  that  the  treatment 
he  had  lately  met  with,  had  fretted  him  into  such  a  dis- 
order as  rendered  him  unfit  to  attend  that  day ;  that,  in 
the  mean  time,  he  could  not  help  taking  this  opportunity 
to  expostulate  witli  his  grace  for  detaining  him  so  long 
from  his  duty  ;  that  it  seemed  to  him  most  unaccounta- 
ble, that  they,  who  never  preached  themselves,  should 
hinder  others ;  that,  as  for  their  examination  of  him,  he 
really  eould  not  imagine  what  tliey  auned  at ;  they  pre- 


344  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

tended  one  thing  in  the  beginning,  and  another  in  the 
progress ;  that  if  his  sermons  were  what  gave  offence, 
which  he  persuaded  himself  were  neither  contrary  to  the 
truth,  nor  to  any  canon  of  the  church,  he  was  ready  to 
answer  whatever  might  be  thought  exceptionable  in 
them ;  that  he  wished  a  Httle  more  regard  might  be  had 
to  the  judgment  of  the  people ;  and  that  a  distinction 
might  be  made  between  the  ordinances  of  God  and  man  ; 
that  if  some  abuses  in  rehgion  did  prevail,  as  was  then 
commonly  supposed,  he  thought  preaching  was  the  best 
means  to  discountenance  them ;  that  he  wished  all 
pastors  might  be  obliged  to  perform  their  duty ;  but 
that,  however,  liberty  might  be  given  to  those  who  were 
willing  ;  that  as  to  the  articles  proposed  to  him,  he  beg- 
ged to  be  excused  subscribing  to  them  ;  while  he  lived, 
he  never  would  abet  superstition  ;  and  that,  lastly,  he 
hoped  the  archbishop  would  excuse  what  he  had  writ- 
ten ;  he  knew  his  duty  to  superiors,  and  would  practise 
it ;  but  in  that  case,  he  thought  a  stronger  obligation  laid 
upon  him." 

The  bishops,  how^ever,  continued  their  persecutions, 
but  their  schemes  were  frustrated  in  an  unexpected  man- 
ner. Latimer  being  raised  to  the  see  of  Worcester,  in 
the  year  1533,  by  the  favour  of  Ann  Boleyn,  then  the 
favourite  wife  of  Henry,  to  whom,  most  probably,  he 
was  recommended  by  lord  Cromwell,  he  had  now  a 
more  extensive  field  to  promote  the  principles  of  the  re- 
formation, in  which  he  laboured  with  tiie  utmost  pains 
and  and  assiduity.  All  the  historians  of  those  times 
mention  him  as  a  person  remarkably  zealous  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  new  office  ;  and  tell  us,  that  in  overlooking 
the  clergy  of  his  diocess,  he  was  uncommonly  active, 
warm,  and  resolute,  and  presided  in  his  ecclesiastical 
court  with  the  same  spirit.  In  visiting,  he  w^as  frequent 
and  observant ;  in  ordaining,  strict  and  wary  ;  in  preach- 
ing, indefatigable  ;  and  in  reproving  and  exhorting,  se- 
vere and  persuasive. 

In  1536,  he  received  a  summons  to  attend  the  parlia- 
ttient  and  convocation,  which  gave  him  a  further  oppor- 
tu^nity  of  promoting  the  work  of  reformation,   whereoa 


PERSECUTED     BY    THE    PAPISTS.  345 

his  heart  was  so  much  set.  Many  alterations  were  made 
in  religious  matters,  and  a  few  months  after,  the  bible 
was  translated  into  English,  and  recommended  to  a  gen- 
eral perusal,  in  October    1537. 

Latimer,  highly  satisfied  with  the  prospect  of  the 
times,  now  repaired  to  his  diocess,  having  made  a  longer 
stay  in  London  than  was  absolutely  necessary.  He  had 
talents,  but  he  pretended  to  have  none  for  the  state 
affairs.  His  whole  ambition  was  to  discharge  the  pasto- 
ral functions  of  a  bishop,  neither  aiming  to  display  the 
abilities  of  a  statesman,  nor  those  of  a  courtier.  How 
very  unqualified  he  was  to  support  the  latter  of  these 
characters,  the  following  story  will  prove.  It  was  the 
custom  in  those  days  for  the  bishops  to  make  presents  to 
the  king  on  New-year's  day,  and  many  of  them  would 
present  very  liberally,  proportioning  their  gifts  to  their 
expectancies.  Among  the  rest,  the  bishop  of  Worcester, 
being  then  in  town,  waited  upon  the  king,  with  his  offer- 
ing ;  but,  instead  of  a  purse  of  gold,  which  was  the 
common  oblation,  he  presented  a  New  Testament,  with 
a  leaf  doubled  down  in  a  very  conspicuous  manner,  to 
this  passage  ;  "  whoremongers  and  adulterers  God  will 
judge." 

In  1539,  he  was  summoned  again  to  attend  the  par- 
liament. The  bishop  of  Winchester,  Gardner,  was  his 
greatest  enemy  ;  who,  upon  a  particular  occasion,  when 
the  bishops  were  with  the  king,  kneeled  down  and  sol- 
emnly accused  bishop  Latimer  of  a  seditious  sermon 
preached  at  court.  Being  called  upon  by  the  king,  with 
some  sternness  to  vindicate  himself,  Latimer  was  so  far 
from  denying  and  palliating  what  he  liad  said,  that  he 
boldly  justified  it ;  and  turning  to  the  king,  with  that 
noble  unconcern,  which  a  good  conscience  inspires,  *'  I 
never  thought  myself  worthy,  said  he,  nor  did  I  ever 
sue  to  be  a  preacher  before  your  grace  ;  but  I  was  call- 
ed to  it,  and  would  be  willing,  if  you  mislike  it,  to  give 
place  to  my  betters  :  for  I  grant,  there  may  be  many 
more  worthy  the  room  than  I  am.  And  if  it  be 
your  grace's  pleasure  to  allow  them  for  preachers,  I  can 
be  content  to  bear  their  books  after  them.     But,  if  your 

2y 


346  Pl^RSEeUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

grace  allow  me  for  a  preacher,  I  would  desire  you  to  give 
me  leave  to  discharge  my  conscience,  and  to  frame  my 
doctrine  according  to  my  audience.  I  had  been  very 
dolt  indeed  to  have  preached  so  at  the  borders  of  your 
realm,  as  I  preach  before  your  grace."  The  greatness 
of  his  answer  baffled  his  accuser's  malice.  The  severity 
of  the  king's  countenance  changed  into  a  gracious  smile, 
and  tlie  bishop  was  dismissed  with  that  obliging  freedom, 
which  this  monarch  never  used  but  to  those  he  es- 
teemed. 

However,  as  the  bishop  could  not  give  his  vote  for  the 
act  of  the  six  papistical  articles,  drawn  up  by  the  duke 
of  Norfolk,  he  thought  it  wrong  to  hold  any  office  in  a 
church,  where,  such  terms  of  communion  were  required  ; 
and,  therefore,  he  resigned  his  bishopric,  and  retired  in- 
to the  country,  where  he  purposed  living  a  sequestered 
life.  But,  in  the  midst  of  his  security,  an  unhappy  acci- 
dent carried  him  again  into  the  tempestuous  weather, 
which  was  abroad.  He  received  a  bruise  by  the 'fall  of  a 
tree,  and  the  contusion  was  so  dangerous,  that  he  was 
obhged  to  seek  out  for  better  assistance  than  could  be 
afforded  him  by  the  unskilful  surgeons  of  those  parts. 
With  this  view,  he  repaired  to  London,  where  he  had  the 
misfortune  to  see  the  fall  of  his  patron,  lord  Cromwell  : 
a  loss  which  he  was  soon  made  sensible  of.  For  Gard- 
ner's emissaries  quickly  found  him  out  in  his  conceal- 
ment, and  something  which  he  had  been  heard  to  say, 
against  the  six  articles,  being  alleged  against  him,  he 
was  sent  to  the  tower  ;  where,  without  any  judicial  ex- 
amination, he  suffered  through  one  pretence  or  another, 
a  cruel  imprisonment  for  the  remaining  six  years  of  king 
Henry's  reign. 

On  the  death  of  Henry,  the  protestant  interest  revived 
under  his  son  Edward  ;  and  Latimer,  immediately  upon 
the  change  of  government,  was  set  at  liberty.  An  ad- 
dress was  made  by  the  protector,  to  restore  him  to  his 
bishopric.  The  protector  was  very  willing  to  gratify  the 
parliament,  and  proposed  the  resumption  of  his  bishop- 
ric to  Latimer  ;  who  now  thinking  himself  unequal  to  the 
weight  of  it,  refused  to  resume  it,  choosing  rather  to  ac 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     TAPISXa.  3^7 

i^ept  an  invitation  from  his  friend  archbishop  Cranmer, 
and  to  take  up  his  residence  with  him  at  Lambeth  ;  where 
his  chief  employment  was  to  hear  the  complaints,  and  re- 
dress the  grievances  of  the  poor  people  ;  and  his  charac- 
ter, for  services  of  this  kind,  was  so  universally  known, 
that  strangers  from  every  part  of  England  would  resort  to 
him. 

In  these  employments,  he  spent  more  than  two  years, 
during  which  time,  he  assisted  the  archbishop  in  compo- 
sing the  homilies,  which  were  set  forth  by  authority, 
in  the  first  year  of  king  Edward.  He  was  also  appoint- 
ed to  preach  the  lent  sermons  before  the  king,  which  of- 
fice he  also  performed  during  the  three  first  years  of  his 
reign. 

Upon  the  revolution,  which  happened  at  court,  after 
the  death  of  the  duke  of  Somerset,  he  retired  into  the 
country,  and  made  use  of  the  king's  licence  as  a  general 
preacher  in  those  parts,  where  he  thought  his  labours 
might  be  most  serviceable. 

He  was  thus  employed  during  the  remainder  of  that 
reign,  and  continued  the  same  course,  for  a  short  time, 
in  the  beginning  of  the  next ;  but,  as  soon  as  the  re-in- 
troduction of  popery  was  resolved  on,  the  first  step  tow- 
ards it  was  the  prohibition  of  all  preaching,  and  licensing 
only  such  as  were  known  to  be  popishly  inclined.  The 
bishop  of  Winchester,  who  was  now  prime- minister, 
having  proscribed  Latimer  from  the  first,  sent  a  message 
to  cite  him  before  the  council.  He  had  notice  of  this  de- 
sign some  hours  before  the  messenger's  arrival,  but  he 
made  no  use  of  the  intelligence.  The  messenger  found 
him  equipped  for  his  journey,  at  which  expressing  his 
surprise,  Latimer  told  him,  that  he  was  as  ready  to  attend 
him  to  London,  thus  called  upon  to  answer  for  his  faith, 
as  ever  he  was  to  take  any  journey  in  his  life  :  and  that 
he  doubted  not,  but  that  God,  who  had  enabled  him  to 
stand  before  two  princes,  would  enable  him  to  stand  be- 
fore a  third.  The  messenger  then  acquainting  him,  that 
he  had  no  orders  to  seize  his  person,  delivered  a  letter, 
and  departed.  However,  opening  the  letter,  and  find- 
ing it  a  citation  from  the  council,  he  resolved  to  obey  it, 


348  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

and  set  out  immediately.  As  be  passed  through  Smith- 
field,  he  said,  cheerfully,  *'  this  place  of  burning  hath 
long  groaned  for  me."  The  next  morning,  he  waited 
upon  the  council,  who  having  loaded  him  with  many  se- 
vere reproaches,  sent  him  to  the  tower,  from  whence,  af- 
ter some  time  he  was  removed  to  Oxford. 

Nicholas  Ridley,  bishop  of  London,  received  the  earli- 
est part  of  his  education  at  Nc- wcastle-upon-t\  ne,  from 
whence,  he  was  removed  to  the  lUiiversity  at  Cambridge, 
where  his  great  learning,  and  distinguished  abilities,  so 
recommended  him,  that  he  was  made  master  of  Pem- 
broke-hall, in  that  university. 

After  being  some  years  in  this  office,  he  left  Cam- 
bridge, and  travelled  into  various  parts  of  Europe  for  the 
advancement  of  knowledge.  On  his  return  to  England, 
he  was  made  chaplain  to  king- Henry  VIII,  and  bishop  of 
Rochester,  from  which  he  was  translated  to  the  see  of 
London  by  king  Edward  VI. 

In  private  life,  he  was  pious,  humane,  and  affable  ;  in 
public,  he  was  learned,  sound,  and  eloquent ;  diligent  in 
his  duly,  and  very  popular  as  a  preacher. 

He  had  been  educated  in  the  Roman  catholic  religion, 
but  was  brought  over  to  that  of  the  reformed,  by  means  of 
reading  Bertram's  book  on  the  sacrament;  and  he  was 
conlirmied  in  the  same,  by  frequent  conferences  with 
Cranmer  and  Peter  Martyr,  so  that  he  became  a  zealous 
promoter  of  the  reformed  doctrines  and  discipline  during 
the  reign  of  king  Edward. 

On  the  accession  of  queen  Mary,  he  shared  the  same 
fate  with  many  others  who  professed  the  truth  of  the 
gospel.  Being  accused  of  heresy,  he  was  first  removed 
from  his  bishopric,  then  sent  prisoner  to  the  tower  of  Lon- 
don, and  afterwards  to  Bocardo  prison,  in  Oxford  ;  from 
whence,  he  was  committed  to  the  custody  of  Irish,  may- 
or of  that  city,  in  whose  house  he  remained,  till  the  day 
of  his  execution. 

On  the  30th  of  September,  1555,  these  two'eminent 
prelates  were  cited  to  appear  before  the  divinity- school 
at  Oxford, 


PERSECUTED     BY    THE    PAPISTS.  349 

Agreeable  to  this  citation,  they  both  appeared  on  the 
day  appointed. 

Dr.  Ridley  was  first  examined,  and  severely  reprimand- 
ed, by  the  bishop  of  Lincoln,  because,  when  he  heard  the 
cardinal's  grace,  and  the  pope's  holiness  mentioned  in  the 
commission,  he  kept  on  his  cap.  The  words  of  the  bish- 
op were  to  this  effect  :  *'  Mr.  Ridley,  if  you  will  not  be 
uncovered,  in  respect  to  the  pope,  and  the  cardinal  his  le- 
gate, by  whose  authority  we  sit  in  commission,  your  cap 
shall  be  taken  off." 

The  bishop  of  Lincoln  then  made  a  formal  harangue, 
in  which,  he  entreated  Ridley  to  return  to  the  holy  mother- 
church,  and  insisted  on  the  antiquity  and  authority  of  the 
see  of  Rome,  and  of  the  pope,  as  the  immediate  successor 
of  St.  Peter. 

Dr.  Ridley,  in  return,  strenuously  opposed  the  argu- 
ments of  the  bishop,  and  boldly  vhidicated  the  doctrines 
of  the  reformation. 

After  much  debate,  the  five  following  articles  were  pro- 
posed to  him,  and  his  immediate  and  explicit  answers  re- 
quired. 

1.  -That  he  had  frequently  affirmed,  and  openly  main- 
tained and  defended,  that  the  true  natural  body  of  Christ, 
after  consecration  of  the  priest,  is  not  really  present  in  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar. 

2.  That  he  had  often  publicly  affirmed,  and  defended, 
that  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  remaintth  still  the  sub- 
stance of  bread  and  wine. 

3.  That  he  had  often  openly  affirmed,  and  obstinately 
maintained,  that  in  the  mass,  is  no  propitiatory  sacrifice 
for  the  quick  and  dead. 

4.  That  the  aforesaid  assertions  have  been  solemnly  con- 
dcmned  by  the  scholasiical  censure  of  this  school,  as 
heretical,  and  contrary  to  the  catholic  faith,  by  the  proloc- 
utor of  the  convocation-house,  and  sundry  learned  men  of 
both  universities. 

5.  That  all  and  singular  the  premises  are  true,  and  no- 
toriously known,  by  all  near  at  hand,  and  in  distant  places. 

To  the  first  of  these  articles,  Ridley  replied,  that  he  be- 
lieved Christ's  body  to  be  in  the  sacrament,  really,  by 


330  PERSEeUTE©    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

grace  and  spirit  effectually,  but  not  so  as  to  include  a  lively 
and  moveable  body  under  the  forms  of  bread  and  wine. 

To  the  second  he  answered  in  the  affirmative. 

Part  of  the  fourth  he  acknowledged,  and  part  he  denied. 

To  the  fifth,  he  answered,  that  the  premises  were  so 
far  true,  as  his  replies  had  set  forth.  Whether  all  men 
spake  evil  of  them  he  knew  not,  because  he  came  not  so 
much  abroad  to  hear  what  every  man  reported. 

He  was  then  ordered  to  appear  the  following  day  in  St. 
Mary's  church,  in  Oxford,  to  give  his  final  answer ;  af- 
ter which,  he  was  committed  to  the  custody  of  the  mayor. 

When  Latimer  was  brought  into  court,  the  bishop  of 
Lincoln  warmly  exhorted  him  to  return  to  the  unity  of 
the  church,  from  which  he  had  revolted. 

The  same  articles  which  were  proix)sed  to  Dr.  Ridley, 
were  read  to  Latimer ;  and  he  was  required  to  give  a  full 
and  satisfactory  answer  to  each  of  them. 

His  replies  not  proving  satisfactory  to  the  court,  he  was. 
dismissed  ;  but  ordered  to  appear  in  St.  Mary's  church,  at 
the  same  time  with  Dr.  Ridley. 

On  the  day  appointed,  the  commissioners  met,  when 
Dr.  Ridley  being  first  brought  before  them,  the  bishop  of 
Lincoln  stood  up,  and  began  to  repeat  the  proceedings  of 
the  former  meeting,  assuring  him  that  he  had  full  liberty 
to  make  what  alterations  he  pleased  in  his  answers  to  the 
articles  proposed  to  him,  and  to  deliver  the  same  to  the 
court  in  writing. 

After  some  debate,  Dr.  Ridley  took  out  a  paper,  and 
began  to  read;  but  the  bishop  interrupted  him,  and  order- 
ed the  beadle  to  take  the  writing  from  him.  The  doctor 
desired  permission  to  read  on,  declaring  the  contents  were 
only  his  answers  to  the  articles  proposed  ;  but  the  bishop 
and  others,  having  privately  reviewed  it,  would  not  per- 
mit it  to  be  read  in  open  court. 

When  the  articles  were  again  administered,  he  referred 
the  notary  to  his  writing,  who  set  them  down  according  to 
the  same. 

The  bishop  of  Gloucester  affecting  much  concern  for 
Dr.  Ridley,  persuaded  him  not  to  indulge  an  obstinate 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS,  3-5i 

tamper,  but  recant  his  erroneous  opinions,  and  returrt  to 
the  unity  of  the  holy  catholic  church. 

Ridley  coolly  replied,  he  was  not  vain  of  his  own  under- 
standing, but  was  fully  persuaded,  that  the  religion  he  pro- 
fessed was  founded  on  God's  most  holy  and  infallible 
church ;  and,  therefore,  he  could  not  abandon  or  deny  the 
same,  consistent  with  his  regard  for  the  honour  of  God, 
and  the  salvation  of  his  immortal  soul. 

He  desired  to  declare  his  reasons,  wherefore,  he  could 
not,  with  a  safe  conscience,  admit  of  the  popish  supremacy, 
but  his  request  was  denied. 

The  bishop  finding  him  inflexible  in  his  faith,  according 
to  the  doctrine  of  the  reformation,  thus  addressed  him  : 
"  Dr.  Ridley,  it  is  with  the  utmost  concern,  that  I  observe 
your  stubbornness  and  obstinacy,  in  persisting  in  damnable 
errors  and  heresies ;  but,  unless  you  recant,  I  must  proceed 
to  the  other  part  of  my  commission,  though  very  much 
against  my  will  and  desire." 

Ridley  not  making  any  reply,  sentence  of  condemna- 
tion was  read ;  after  which,  he  was  carried  back  to  con^ 
finement. 

When  Latimer  was  brought  before  the  court,  the  bish- 
op of  Lincoln  informed  him,  that  though  they  had  already- 
taken  his  answers  to  certain  articles  alleged  against  him, 
yet  they  had  given  him  time  to  consider  on  the  same,  and 
would  permit  him  to  make  what  alterations  he  should 
deem  fit,  hoping,  by  that  means,  to  reclaim  him  from  his 
errors,  and  bring  him  over  to  the  faith  of  the  holy  catholic 
church. 

The  articles  were  again  read  to  him,  but  he  deviated 
aot,  in  a  single  point,  from  the  ans\\ers  he  had  alreadj' 
given. 

Being  again  warned  to  recant,  and  revoke  his  errors,  he 
refused,  declaring,  that  he  never  would  deny  God's  truth, 
which  he  was  ready  to  seal  with  his  blood.  Sentence  of 
condemnation  was  then  pronounced  against  him,  and  hr 
was  committed  to  the  custody  of  the  mayor. 

A  few  days  after  this,  they  were  both  solemnly  degraded 
by  the  bishop  of  Gloucester,  and  the  vice-chancellor  of 
Oxford  ;  after  which,  they  wei'e  delivered  over  to  the  se- 
ciilar  power. 


352  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  16th  of  October,  1555,  was  the  day  appointed  for 
their  execution,  and  the  place  Town- ditch,  behind  Bali- 
ol  college. 

Latimer  went  to  the  stake  in  an  humble,  plain  lay-dress, 
and  Dr.  Ridley  in  his  ecclesiastical  habit,  which  he  wore 
when  a  bishop.  They  embraced  each  other  on  the  mel- 
ancholy occasion  ;  and  Dr.  Ridley  encouraged  his  fellow- 
labourer,  and  fellow -sufferer,  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  to  be 
of  good  cheer,  assuring  him,  that  God  would  assuage  the 
fury  of  the  flames,  or  enable  them  to  endure  them. 

Our  martyrs  then  kneeled  down,  and,  with  great  earn- 
estness, prayed  to  Almighty  God  to  enable  them  to  sus- 
.tain  the  fiery  trial  that  awaited  them. 

When  they  arose  from  prayer,  one  of  the  popish  priests, 
in  an  occasional  sermon,  upbraided  them  with  heresy  and 
departure  from  the  church  of  Christ,  Dr.  Ridley  was  de- 
sirous of  vindicating  himself  from  the  aspersion  of  the 
priest,  but  was  denied  that  liberty,  and  commanded  to  pre- 
pare immediately  for  the  fire,  unless  he  would  recant,  and 
abjure  his  heretical  opinions ;  without  hesitation,  there- 
fore, he  took  off  his  clothes,  distributed  them  among  the 
populace,  and  together,  with  Latimer,  was  chained  to  the 
stake. 

Latimer  soon  expired,  crying,  '*  O  Father  of  heaven, 
receive  my  soul."  But  Ridley,  by  reason  of  the  fire 
burning  low,  and  not  flaming  about  his  body,  endured  the 
most  exquisite  torture,  leaping  in  the  fire,  and  begging 
for  Christ's  sake,  that  the  flames  might  surround  him  ;  till, 
at  length,  some  of  the  spectators  having  taken  off"  part  of 
the  fagots,  the  fire  had  vent,  and  the  bag  of  gunpowder 
that  was  fastened  to  his  neck  exploded,  after  which,  he  was 
not  seen  to  move,  but  fell  down  at  the  feet  of  his  fellow- 
sufferer. 

Thus,  did  these  two  pious  divines,  and  steadfast  be- 
lievers, testify,  with  their  blood,  the  truth  of  the  everlast- 
ing gospel,  upon  which  depends  all  the.sinner's  hope  of  sal- 
vation. 

Latimer,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was  in  the  eightieth 
year  of  his  age,  and  preserved  the  principles  he  had  pro- 
fessed with  the  greatest  magnanimity.     He  had  naturiJly 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  3^3 

a  happy  temper,  formed  on  the  principles  of  triie  chris" 
tianity.  Such  was  his  cheerfuhiess,  that  none  of  the  acci^ 
dents  of  Ufe  could  discompose  him  :  such  was  his  forti- 
tude, that  not  even  the  severest  trials  could  unman  him* 
He  had  a  collected  spirit,  and,  on  no  occasion,  wanted 
a  resource.  He  could  retire  within  himself,  and  hold  the 
world  at  defiance. 

And  as  danger  could  not  daunt,  so  neither  could  ambi" 
lion  allure  him.  Though  conversant  in  courts,  and  inti- 
mate with  princes,  he  preserved,  to  the  last,  (a  rare  in- 
stance of  moderation!)  his-*  primeval  plainness.  In  his 
profession,  he  was  indef?rfigable ;  and,  that  he  might  be- 
stow as  much  time  as  possible  on  the  active  part  of  it,  he 
allow^ed  himself  only  those  hours  for  his  private  studies, 
w^hen  the  busy  world  is  at  rest,  constantly  rising,  at  all  sea- 
sons of  the  year,  by  two  in  the  morning.  How  conscien- 
tious he  was  in  the  discharge  of  the  public  parts  of  his  of- 
fice, we  have  many  examples.  No  man  could  persuade 
more  forcibly;  no  man  could  exert,  on  proper  occasions  $ 
a  moie  commanding  severity.  The  wicked,  in  whatever 
station,  he  rebuked  with  censorian  dignity,  and  awed  vice 
more  than  the  penal  laws. 

As  to  his  sermons,  which  are  still  extant,  and  of  which, 
an  edition  was  published  upwards  of  twenty  years,  they 
are,  indeed,  far  enough  from  bemg  exact  pieces  of  compo- 
sition ;  yet  his  simplicity  aM  familiarity,  his  humouf 
and  drollery,  were  well  adapted  to  the  times  ;  and  his  ora^ 
tory,  according  to  the  mode  of  eloquence  at  that  day,  was 
exceedingly  popular.  His  action  and  manner  of  preaching 
too,  w^ere  very  affecting ;  and  no  wonder ;  **  for  he  spoke 
immediately  from  his  heart."  His  abilities,  however,  as 
an  orator,  made  only  an  inferior  part  of  his  character  as  a 
preacher.  What  particularly  reccommends  him,  is,  that 
noble  and  apostolic  zeal  which  he  continually  exerted  in  the 
cause  of  truth. 

Ridley  was  no  less  indefatigable  in  promoting  the  re- 
formed  reliL!;ion,  than  his  fcUow-sii.Tv.Ter  Litimer.  He  was 
naturally  of  a  very  easy  temper,  and  disiingui5>hed  for  his 
great  piety  and  humanity  to  the  distressed.  He  pef.^ever" 
ed    to  the  last,   in  th:it  faith  he  professed,  and  cheerful - 

S2  z 


354  PERSECUTED     BY    WHB    PAPISTS* 

ly   resigned  his  life  in  defence  of  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
pel. 

Both  these  worthy  prelates,  during  their  confinement, 
employed  their  time  in  writing  various  pieces  to  propagate 
that  gospel  to  which  they  had  so  strictly  adhered.  They 
also  wrote  great  numbers  of  letters  to  their  respective 
friends  and  particular  acquaintances. 

Among  the  pieces  wTitten  by  Dr.  Ridley,  was  a  fare- 
well address  to  the  university  of  Cambridge,  and  particu- 
larly to  the  members  of  Pembroke-  Hall,  of  which  he  had 
been  master.  He  also  wrote  addresses,  of  the  same  na- 
ture, to  the  cities  of  Rochester,  (the  see  of  which  he  had 
some  time  held)  Westminster,  and  London.  But  as  all 
these  are  too  tedious  to  be  here  inserted,  we  shall  only  pre- 
serve the  following  extract  from  the  last. 

"  O  London,  London,  to  whom  now  may  I  speak  in 
thee,  or  whom  shall  I  bid  farewell  ?  Shall  I  speak  to  the 
prebendaries  of  Paul's  ?  Alas  !  all  that  loved  God's  word, 
and  where  the  true  setters  forth  thereof,  are  now  (as  I  hear 
say)  some  burnt  and  slain,  some  exiled  and  banished,  and 
some  confined  in  hard  prison,  and  appointed  daily  to  be  put 
to  the  most  cruel  death,  for  Christ's  gospel- sake.  As  for 
the  rest  of  them,  I  knoiv  they  could  never  brook  me  well, 
nor  could  I  ever  delight  in  them. 

"  Shall  I  speak  to  the  see  thereof,  wherein  of  late,  I  was 
placed  almost,  and  not  fully,  the  space  of  three  years  ?  But 
what  may  I  say  to  it,  being  (as  1  hear  say  I  am)  deposed 
and  expulsed  by  judgment,  as  unjust  usurper  of  that  room? 
O  judgment!  judgment!  Can  this  be  just  judgment,  to 
condemn  the  chief  minister  of  God's  word,  the  pastor  and 
bishop  of  the  diocess,  and  never  bring  him  into  judgment, 
that  he  might  have  heard  what  crimes  were  laid  to  his 
charge,  nor  ever  suffer  him  to  have  any  place,  or  time,  to 
answer  for  himself?  Thinkest  thou,  that  hereafter,  when 
true  justice  shall  hiive  place,  this  judgment  can  ever  be  al- 
lowed, either  of  God  or  man  ?  Weil,  as  for  the  cause,  or 
whole  matter  of  my  deposition,  and  the  spoil  of  my  goods, 
which  thou  possessest  yet,  I  refer  it  unto  God,  who  is  a 
just  judge  ;  and  I  beseech  God,  if  it  be  his  pleasure,  that 


PERSECUTED    BY     THE     PAPISfS.  355 

which  is  but  my^personal  wrong,  be  not  laid  to  thy  charge 
in  the  latter  da^  ;  tliis  only  I  can  pray  for. 

"  O  thou  wicked  and  bloody  see,  why  dost  thou  set 
up  again  many  altars  of  idolatry,  which,  by  the  word  of 
God,  were  justly  taken  away  ?  Why  dost  thou  daily  de- 
lude thy  people,  masking  in  thy  masses,  instead  of  the 
Lord's  holy  Supper,  which  ought  to  be  common,  as  well 
(saith  Chr}  sostom,  yea  the  Lord  himself)  to  the  people, 
as  to  the  priest  ?  How  darest  thou  deny  the  people  6[ 
Christ,  contrary  to  his  express  commandment  in  the  gos- 
pel, his  holy  cup  ?  Why  babblest  thou  to  the  people,  the 
common  prayer  in  a  strange  tongue,  wherein  St.  Paul 
commandeth,  in  the  Lord's  name,  that  no  man  should 
speak  before  the  congregation,  except  it  should  be  by 
and  by  declared  in  their  common  tongue,  that  all  might 
be  edified  ?  Nay,  hearken  thou  whorish  bawd  of  Baby- 
lon, thou  wicked  limb  of  antichrist,  thou  bloody  wolf, 
why  slayestthou  down,  and  makest  havoc  of  the  proph- 
ets of  God  ?  Why  murderest  thou,  so  cruelly,  Christ's 
poor  silly  sheep,  which  will  not  hear  thy  voice,  because 
thou  art  a  stranger,  and  will  follow  none  other  but  their 
own  pastor  Christ,  his  voice  ?  Thinkest  thou  to  escape, 
or  that  the  Lord  will  not  require  the  blood  of  his  saints  at 
thy  hands  ?  Thy  God,  which  is  the  work  of  thy  hands, 
and,  whom  thou  sayest  thou  hast  power  to  make  ;  that 
th}  deaf  and  dumb  god,  I  say,  will  not,  indeed,  nor  can, 
(although  thou  art  not  ashamed  to  call  him  thy  maker) 
make  thee  to  escape  the  revenging  hand  of  the  high  and 
Almighty  God.  But,  be  thou  assured,  that  the  living 
Lord,  our  Saviour  and  Redeemer,  who  sitteth  on  the  right 
hand  of  his  Father  in  glory,  he  seeth  all  thy  wicked  ways, 
and  cruelty,  done  to  his  dear  members,  and  he  will  not 
forget  his  holy  ones,  and  his  hands  (Othou  whorish  drab) 
shalt  thou  never  escape.  Instead  of  my  farewell  to  thee, 
now  I  say,  fie  upon  thee,  fie  upon  thee,  filthy  drab,  and  all 
thy  false  prophets. 

""  Yet  thou,  (O  London)  I  may  not  leave  thee  thus. 
Although  thy  episcopal  see,  now  being  joined  in  league 
with  the  seat  of  Satan,  thus  hath  now  both  handled  me 
and  the  saints  of  God  ;  vet  I  do  not  doubt,   but  in  that 


^56  PIRSECUTID    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

great  city  there  may  be  many  pious  mourners,  who  do 
daily  mourn  for  that  mischief,  and  who  never  did,  nor  shall, 
consent  to  that  wickedness,  but  do  detest  and  abhor  it  as 
the  ways  of  Satan.  But  these  privy  mourners  here  I  will 
pass  by,  and  bid  them  farewell  with  their  fellows  hereaf- 
ter, when  place  and  occasion  shall  more  conveniently  re- 
quire. Among  the  worshipful  of  the  city,  and  especially 
which  were  in  office  of  mayoralty,  yea,  and  in  other  ci- 
ties also,  (whom  now  to  name  it  is  not  necessary)  in  the 
time  of  my  ministry,  which  was  from  the  latter  part  of 
Sir  Rowlaixl  Hill's  year,  unto  Sir  Geo  *ge  Barnes's  3'ear, 
and  a  great  part  thereof,  I  do  acknowledge,  that  I  found 
no  small  humanity  and  gentleness,  as  I  thought :  but 
(to  say  the  truth)  that  I  do  esteem,  above  all  other,  for 
true  christian  kindness,  which  is  shewed  in  God's  cause, 
and  done  for  his  sake.  Wherefore,  O  Dobs,  Dobs,  al- 
derman and  knight,  thou,  in  thy  year,  didst  win  my  heart 
for  evermore,  for  that  honourable  act,  that  most  blessed 
work  of  God,  of  the  erection  and  setting  up  of  Christ's 
holy  hospital,  and  truly  religious  houses,  which  by  thee, 
^nd  through  thee,  were  begun.  For  thou,  hke  a  man 
of  God,  when  the  matter  was  moved  for  the  relief  of 
Christ's  poor  silly  members  to  be  holpen  from  extreme 
i^isery,  hanger,  and  famine  ;  thine  heart,  I  say,  was  mov- 
ed with  pity,  and  as  Christ's  high  honourable  officer  in 
that  cause,  thou  calledst  together  thy  brethren,  the  alder- 
men of  the  city,  before  whom  thou  breakedst  the  matter 
for  the  poor  ;  thou  didst  plead  their  cause,  yea,  and  not 
only  in  thine  own  person,  thou  didst  set  forth  Christ's 
cause,  but  to  further  the  matter,  thou  broughtest  me  in- 
to the  council- chamber  of  the  city,  before  the  aldermen 
jilpne,  v/1 10 nt  thou  hadst  assembled  there  together  to  hear 
me  speak  what  I  could  say,  as  an  advocate,  by  office  and 
duty,  in  the  poor  men's  cause.  The  Lord  wrought  with 
|hee,  and  gave  thee  the  consent  of  thy  brethren  ;  where- 
by the  matter  was  brought  to  the  common^ council,  and 
SjQ  to  the  whole  body  of  the  city  :  by  whom,  with  an  uni- 
form consent,  it  was  committed  to  be  drawn,  ordered, 
prid  devised  by  a  certain  number  of  the  most  witty  citi- 
g<^fts^  aiid  politic  ;  endued  also  with  godliness,  and  with 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  357 

ready  hearts  to  set  forward  such  a  noble  act,  as  could  be 
chosen  in  all  the  whole  city  ;  and  they,  like  true  and  faith- 
ful ministers,  both  to  their  city,  and  their  master  Christ, 
so  ordered,  devised,  and  brought  forth  the  matter,  that 
thousands  of  silly  poor  members  of  Christ,  which  else, 
for  extreme  hunger  and  misery,  should  have  famished 
and  perished,  shall  be  relieved,  holpen,  and  brought  up, 
and  shall  have  cause  to  bless  the  aldermen  of  that  time, 
the  common- council,  and  the  whole  body  of  the  city ; 
but  especially  thee,  O  Dobs,  and  those  chosen  men,  by 
whom  this  honourable  work  of  God  was  begun  and 
wrought,  and  that  so  long,  throughout  all  ages,  as  that 
godly  work  shall  endure  ;  which  I  pray  Almighty  God 
may  be  ever,  unto  the  world's  end.     Amen. 

'*  And  thou,  O  Sir  George  Barnes,  the  truth  is  to  be 
confessed  to  God's  glory  ;  and  to  the  good  example  of 
others,  thou  wast  in  thy  year,  not  only  a  furtherer  and 
contiauer  of  that,  which,  before  thee,  by  thy  predecessor, 
was  well  begun,  but  also  didst  labour  so  to  have  perfected 
the  work,  that  it  should  have  been  an  absolute  thing, 
and  perfect  spectacle  of  true  charity  and  godliness  unto 
all  Christendom.  Thine  endeavour  was  to  have  set  up 
an  house  of  occupations,  both  tl.at  all  kind  of  poverty, 
being  able  to  work,  should  not  have  lacked,  whereupon 
profitably  they  might  have  been  occupied  to  their  own 
relief,  and  to  the  profit  and  commodity  of  the  common- 
wealth of  the  city,  and  also  to  have  retired  thither  the 
poor  babes  brought  up  in  the  hospitals,  when  they  had 
come  to  a  certain  age  and  strength,  and  also  all  those 
which,  in  the  hospital  aforesaid,  had  been  cured  of  their 
diseases.  And  to  have  brouglit  this  to  pass,  thou  ob^ 
tainedst,  not  without  great  diligence  and  labour,  both  of 
thee  and  of  thy  brethren,  and  of  that  godly  king  Edward, 
that  christian  and  peerless  prince's  hand,  his  princely  pal- 
ace of  Bridewell,  and  what  other  things  to  the  perform- 
ance of  the  same,  and  under  what  condition,  is  not  un- 
known. That  this  thine  endeavour  hath  not  had  like 
success,  the  fault  is  not  in  thee,  but  in  the  condition  and 
State  of  the  time,  which  the  Lord  of  his  infinite  mercy, 


358  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

vouchsafe  to  amend,  when  it  shall  be  his  gracious  will  and 
pleasure. 

"  Farewell  now,  all  3^e  citizens  that  be  of  God,  of  what 
state  and  condition  soever  ye  be.  Undoubtedly,  in  Lon- 
don, you  have  heard  God's  word  truly  preached.  My 
heart's  desire-,  and  daily  prayer  shall  be  for  you,  as  for  whom, 
for  my  time,  I  know  to  my  Lord  God  I  am  accountable  ; 
that  ye  never  swerve,  eidier  for  loss  of  life,  or  worldly 
goods,  from  God's  holy  word,  and  yield  unto  antichrist : 
whereupon  must  needs  follow  the  extreme  displeasure  of 
God,  and  the  loss  both  of  your  bodies  and  souls,  into  per- 
petual damnation  for  evermore. 

"  Thus,  fare  ye  all  well.  1  pray  God  give  you  under- 
standing 01  his  blessed  will  and  pleasure,  and  make  you  to 
believe  and  embrace  the  truth.     Amen." 

A  few  days  after  Latimer  and  Ridley  suffered,  three  oth- 
ers shared  the  same  fate,  for  professing  the  truth  of  die 
gospel.  Their  names  were,  John  Webb,  George  Roper, 
and  Gregory  Parke. 

They  were  all  burnt  in  one  fire  at  Canterbury,  most 
patiently  enduring  their  torments,  accounting  themselves 
happy  and  blessed  ot  the  Lord,  that  they  were  made  wor- 
thy to  suffer  for  the  gospel  of  their  Redeemer. 

The  bloody  transactions  of  the  year  1555,  were  termin- 
ated in  the  death  of  John  Philpot,  who,  after  a  long  con- 
fmement,  during  which,  h^  underwent  various  examina- 
tions, was  at  length,  brought  to  the  stake  in  Smithfield, 
on  the  18th  of  the  month  called  December,  where  he  pa- 
tientlv  resigned  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  him  who  gave  it. 
He  was  a  very  learned  man,  and  pious  christian  ;  and  du- 
rin£r  his  confinement,  wrote  a  great  number  of  letters  to 
his  friends,  and  others ;  as  also  a  variety  of  treatises  on 
that  religion,  in  defence  of  which,  he  gave  up  his  existence 
in  this  mortal  world.  Among  his  various  writings,  was 
the  following  : 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS^  359 

^4  p  rayer  to  he  said  at  the  stake ^  by  all  those  whom  God 
shall  account  worthy  to  suffer  for  his  sake, 

**  Merciful  God  and  Father,  to  whom  our  Saviour 
Christ  approached  in  his  fear  and  need,  by  reason  of  death, 
and  found  comfort.  Gracious  God,  and  most  bounteous 
Christ,  on  whom,  Stephen  called  in  his  extreme  need,  and 
received  strength.  Most  benign  holy  spirit,  which  in  the 
midst  of  all  crosses  of  death,  didst  comfort  the  apostle  St. 
Paul,  with  more  consolations  in  Christ,  than  he  felt  sor- 
rows and  terrors,  have  mercy  upon  me,  a  miserable,  vile, 
and  wretched  sinner,  who  now  draws  near  the  gates  of 
death,  deserved  both  in  soul  and  body  eternally,  by  reason 
of  manifold,  horrible,  old,  and  new  transgressions,  which  in 
thine  eyes,  O  Lord  are  open  and  known.  O,  be  merci- 
ful unto  me,  for  the  bitter  death  and  bloodshedding  of  thine 
own  only  Son  Jesus  Christ  !  and  though  thy  justice  doth 
require  (in  respect  of  my  sins)  that  now  thou  shouldst  not 
hear  me,  measuring  me,  in  the  same  measure  I  have  meas- 
ured thy  majesty,  contemning  thy  daily  calls  ;  yet  let  thy 
mercy,  which  is  above  all  thy  works,  and  wherewith  the 
earth  is  filled ;  let  thy  mercy,  I  say,  prevail  towards  me, 
through,  and  for  the  mediation  of  Christ  bur  Saviour ; 
and  for  whose  sake,  in  that  it  hath  pleased  thee  to  bring 
me  forth  now  as  one  of  his  witnesses,  and  a  record  bearer 
of  thy  verity  and  truth  taught  by  him,  to  give  my  life  there- 
fore (to  which  dignity  I  do  acknowledge,  dear  God,  that 
there  was  never  any  so  unworthy  and  so  \mmeet,  no  not  the 
thief  then  hanged  with  him  on  the  cross. )  I  most  humbly, 
therefore,  pray  thee,  that  thou  wouldst,  accordingly,  aid, 
help,  and  assist  me  with  thy  strength  aiid  heavenly  grace, 
that,  with  Christ  thy  Son,  I  may  find  comfort,  with  Ste- 
phen, I  may  see  thy  presence,  and  gracious  power  ;  with 
Paul,  and  all  others,  who,  for  thy  name's  sake,  have  suffer- 
ed afflictions  and  death,  I  may  lind  so  present  with  me  thy 
gracious  consolations,  that  I  may,  by  my  death,  glorify  thy 
holy  name,  propagate  and  ratify  thy  verity,  comfort  the 
hearts  of  the  liL^avy,  confirm  thy  church  in  thy  truth,  con- 
vert some  that  arc  to  be  converied,  and  so  depart  forth  of 
this  miserable  world,  wliere  T  do  daily  hcnp  sin  upon  sin. 


360  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

and  so  enter  into  the  fruition  of  thy  blessed  mercy  ;  wherc^ 
of  now  give,  and  increase  in  me,  a  lively  trust,  sense,  and 
feelins;,  where,  through  the  terrors  of  death,  the  torments 
of  fire,  the  pangs  of  sin,  the  darts  of  satan,  and  the  horrors 
of  hell  may  never  depress  me,  but  may  be  driven  away 
throu4  the  working  of  that  most  gracious  spirit; 
which  now  plenteously  endue  me  widial,  that  through  the 
same  spirit,  I  may  offer  (as  I  now  desire  to  do  in  Christ  by 
him)  myself  wholly,  soul  and  body,  to  be  a  lively  sacrifice, 
holy  and  acceptable  in  thy  sight.  Dear  Father,  whose  1 
am  and  always  have  been,  even  from  my  motner's  womb, 
yea  even  before  the  world  was  made,  to  whom  I  commend 
myself,  soul  and  body,  family  and  friends,  country,  and  all 
the  whole  church,  yea  even  my  very  enemies,  accordmg 
to  thv  s:ood  pleasure  ;  beseeching  thee  entirely  to  give, 
once  more,  to  this  realm  of  England,  the  blessing  of  thy 
word  a8:ain,  with  godly  peace,  to  the  teaching  and  settmg 
forth  of  the  same.  O  dear  Father,  now  give  me  grace  to 
come  unto  thee.  Purge,  and  so  purify  me  by  this  fire,  m 
Christ's  death  and  passion,  through  thy  spirit,  that  1  may  be 
aburnt-ofi*eringofa  sweet  smell  in  thy  sight,  who  livest 
and  reignest  with  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  now  and 
for  ever  more,  world  without  end.     Amen. 

The  persecutions  and  sufferings  of  Thomas  Tfhittellp^^^^^^^ 
Bartlet    Green,    John    Tudson,    John    TVent.   Ihomas 
Brown,  Isabel  Fostel,  and  John  Lashford  ;  all  ofzvhom 
-were  burnt  together  in  Smithjield,  for  professing  the 
truth  of  the  gospel. 

The  popish  emmissaries  having  laid  informations  a- 
o-ainst  these  seven  persons,  they  were  all  apprehended  ; 
and  being  brought  before  bishop  Bonner,  at  his  consisto- 
ry-courtinSt.  Paul's  church,  the  following  articles  were 
exhibited  against  them,  after  the  usual  introductory  parade, 
the  sui)stance  of  which  is  thus  expressed  : 

"  These  articles  and  every  part  and  parcel  ot  them,  we,. 
Edmund  Bonner,  by  the  permission  of  God,  ^^^^^P  5'^ 
London,  do  object  and  minister  unto  thee,  Thomas  \\  hit- 


1»ERSECUTEI)    BY    THE    PAPISTS',  o6l 

tell,  &c.  of  our  mere  office,  for  thy  soul's  health,  and  re- 
formation of  thine  offences  or  misdemeanors,  admonishing; 
thee,  in  virtue  of  obedience,  and  under  tlie  pains,  both  of 
the  censures  of  the  church,  and  tlie  laws  of  the  realm,  to 
answer  fully,  plainly,  and  truly  to  the  same." 

1.  Whether  you,  and  each  of  you,  do  believe  there  is  a 
catholic  church  ? 

To  this,  they  replied  in  the  affirmative  ;  but  Tudson  and 
Brown  added  further,  that  the  church  of  England,  as  it 
was  at  present  used,  was  not  part  of  the  true  catholic 
church. 

2.  That  there  are  in  the  church  seven  sacraments. 

To  this,  they  answered  in  the  negdtive,  declaring  they 
acknowledged  only  two  sacraments  in  Christ's  catholic 
church,  baptism,  and  the  supper  of  the  Lord. 

Went  and  Tudson  affirmed,  that  the  sacrament  of  the 
altar,  then  used,  was  an  idol,  and  consequently  no  sacra^ 
ment. 

3.  That  they  were  first  baptized  in  the  faith  of  the  cath- 
olic church,  professing,  by  their  godfathers,  their  faith  in 
the  same. 

They  all  confessed,  they  were  baptized  in  the  faith  of 
Christ,  and  of  the  chin  ch  then  used  ;  but  that  afterwards, 
during  the  reign  of  king  i^dwaid  VI,  hearing  the  gospel 
preached,  and  the  great  tru'hs  of  the  same  opened  and 
explained,  they  followed  the  forms  and  doctrines  then  used 
and  set  forth. 

4.  That  they,  for  the  space  of  certain  years,  did  ratify  and 
allows  and  not  depan  from  ain^  part  of  'he  profession  of  ihe 
same  church,  in  which  they  were  baprized. 

To  this  article,  they  all  assented  ;  but  John  Went  ad- 
ded, moreover,  that  about  seven  years  past,  being  then 
twenty  years  old,  he  began  to  dislike  certain  ceremonies 
used  in  the  church  of  England,  and  did  At  present  dislike 
the  same,  though  his  godfather  and  godmother  promised 
for  him  to  the  contrary. 

Tudson  also  declared,  that  nine  years  ago,  being  tJien 
about  eio^hteen  years  old,  he  disap])roved  rhe  doctrines  and 
ceremonies  then  taujz;ht  and  set  forth  in  the  church  of  Eng- 
land excepting  the  time  of  king  Edward,  when  the  gos- 

3  A 


3(52  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS, 

pel  was  truly  preached  ;  but  that  the  religion  set  forth  m 
the  present  reign,  was  not  agreeable  to  God's  word,  nor 
the  true  catholic  churchy  instituted  by  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles. 

Isabel  Foster  declared,  in  answer  to  this  fourth  article, 
that  she  continued  in  the  same  faith  and  religion,  in  which 
she  was  baptized,  after  she  came  to  years  of  discretion,  till 
the  reign  of  king  Edward  Yl,  at  which  time,  hearing  the 
gospel  fully  and  faithfully  preached,  she  received  and  em- 
braced the  doctrines  then  taught  and  set  forth. 

5.  That  they,  of  late  years,  have  swerved,  and  gone  a- 
way,  and  spoken  against  the  profession  of  the  same  church 
of  England,  at  least  some  part  thereof,  especially  the  sacri- 
^ce  of  the  mass,  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  and  the  authori- 
ty of  the  church  of  Rome. 

This  they  all  acknowledged,  but  Whittell  added  to  the 
general  confession,  that  he  had  swerved  not  in  the  whole^ 
but  in  part,  not  from  the  whole  catholic  church,  but  from 
the  church  of  Rome,  in  speaking  against  the  mass,  the  sac- 
rifice thereof,  and  the  supremacy  of  the  pope. 

Joan  Lashford  also  declared,  that  she  never  heretofore 
sw^erved  from  any  part  of  Christ's  catholic  faith  and  re- 
ligion ;  but  that,  from  the  time  she  was  eleven  years  of 
age,  she  disliked  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,^  the  sacrament 
of  the  altar,  and  the  authorit}'  of  the  papal  see,  as  well  as 
the  doctrines  and  practices  of  the  same,  because  they  were 
contrary  to  God's  holy  word,  and  the  religion  contained  in 
the  gospel. 

6.  That  they  refused  to  be  reconciled  to  the  unity  of  the 
church  of  Rome. 

This  they  all  acknowledged,  because  that  church,  and 
its  doctrines,  and  practices,  w^re  contrary  to  the  unity  of 
Christ's  word,  and  the  true  catholic  faith. 

Bartlet  Green  added,  that  he  was  contented  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  the  unity  of  Christ's  cathofic  church,  but  not  to  the 
church  of  Rome. 

7.  That  they  refused  to  come  to  hear  mass,  and  to  re- 
ceive the  said  sacrament,  calling  it  an  idol. 

This,  also,  they  confessed  to  be  true,  assigning,  as  a 
•  reason,   that  the  mass,  with  the  sacrament  thereof,  as 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  S63 

then  used  and  set  forth  in  the  church  of  Er gland,  was 
dissonant  and  disagreeable  to  the  word,  and  preaching 
of  the  gospel. 

Went  farther  observed,  that  the  mass,  which  he  cal- 
led the  Lord's  supper,  as  then  used  in  the  church  of  En- 
gland, was  full  of  idolatry,  and  against  God's  \\'ord  ; 
and  that  he  much  repented  his  having  been  present  at 
the  same,  through  fear  of  persecution,  since  the  queen's 
coronation. 

Isabel  Foster  confessed,  she  had  not  heard  mass,  nor 
received  the  sacrament,  but  refused  coming  into  the 
place  where  it  was  admnistered,  because  she  knew 
there  was  no  such  sacrament  founded  on  the  word  of 
God. 

Being  asked  her  belief  concerning  the  same,  she  de- 
clared, there  were  only  material  bread,  and  material 
wine,  and  not  the  real  substance  of  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ  in  the  same  sacrament,  as  she  had  been  taught 
to  believe  by  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  in  time  of  king 
Edward  VI,  when  she  believed  the  word  of  God  was 
preached  in  its  purity. 

8.  lliat  they  were  sent  by  the  commissioners  to  the 
bishop  to  be  examined  and  imprisoned. 

Generally  granted. 

9.  That  all  and  singular  the  premises  have  been,  and 
are  true,  and  manifest ;  and  that  they  are  of  the  diocess 
and  jurisdiction  of  London, 

Generally  granted. 

Such  was  the  general  examination  of  these  persons  in 
the  consistory- court  of  the  bishop  of  London.  We 
shall  now  proceed  to  a  more  minute  and  circumstantial 
relation  of  the  particulars  of  each,  individually  consid- 
ered. 

Thomas  Whittell  was  a  married  priest,  and  an  emi- 
nent and  laborious  minister  of  the  gospel,  in  the  county 
of  Essex,  during  the  reign  of  Edward  VI  :  but,  on  the 
accession  of  queen  Mary,  he  was  deprived  of  his  living, 
and  wandered  from  place  to  place,  preaching  in  private 
as  often  as  opportunity  afforded. 


364  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS,* 

In  process  of  time,  he  was  apprehended  by  one  of  the 
popibh  emissaries,  who,  amongst  many  others,  made  a 
trade  oi  niforming  against  heretics  (  as  they  were  then 
called  )  and  b)  ought  before  the  bishop  of  Winchester, 
who  being  at  that  time  indisposed,  he  was  referred  to  the 
bishop  oi  London.  When  he  appeared  before  his  lord- 
ship, he  asked  him,  if  he  would  have  come  to  mass  that 
morning,  if  he  had  been  sent  for  ? 

VVhiiteli  replied,  he  would  have  obeyed  the  summons; 
of  his  lordship,  though  he  had  no  veneration  for  the 
mass. 

Bonner  was  so  incensed  at  this  reply,  that  striking  him 
with  his  fist  on  his  face,  he  said,  "  Villain,  thou  shalt 
be  red  with  bread  and  wa'er." 

The  bishop  after  ards  empio}  ed  a  neighbouring  priest 
to  tamper  with  VVhittell,  promising  him  considerable 
prefermenv  in  the  c  urch,  if  he  would  recant  his  erro- 
neous opinions,  and  acknowledge  the  papal  supremacy  ; 
but  VVhitteii  dssured  the  priest,  that  he  thought  he  held 
nothing  but  the  truth  and,  therefore,  he  could  not  so 
slightly  abjure  the  saaie. 

A  paper  to  the  following  purport  was  then  read  to  him, 
in  order  for  his  subscribing  the  same  : 

*'  I  Thomas  Whiitell,  priest,  of  the  diocess  of  Lon- 
don, acknowledge  and  confess  with  my  mouth,  agreeing 
with  my  heart,  before  you,  reverend  father  in  God,  Ed- 
mund, by  the  grace  of  God,  bishop  of  London,  my  or- 
dinary that  I  do  detest  and  abhor  all  manner  of  heresies 
and  errors  against  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  or  any  of  the 
sacraments  of  the  church  ;  which  heresies  and  errors 
have  heretofore  been  condemned,  in  any  wise  by  the  Ca- 
tholic church  ;  and  I  do  protest  and  declare,  by  these 
presents,  that  I  do  both  now  hold,  observe,  and  keep  in 
all  points,  the  Catholic  faith,  and  belief  of  Christ's  church, 
according  as  this  church  of  England,  being  a  member 
of  the  said  Catholic  churcli,  doth  now  profess  and  keep, 
and,  in  no  wise,  to  swerve  or  decline  from  the  said  ih'nh 
during  my  natural  life,  submitting  myself  wholly  and  ful- 
ly to  you,  reverend  father,  my  said  ordinary,  in  all  such 
things  concerning  my  reformation  and  amendment  at  all 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  365 

times  ;  in  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  subscribed 
ID)'  name." 

To  this  bill,  Whittell,  at  the  instigation  of  the  po- 
pish emissary,  and  throui^h  fear  of  punishment,  subscri- 
bed his  name  ;  and  the  priest  left  him  for  that  night,  with 
a  promise  of  his  liberty  in  the  morning. 

But  when  our  martyr  came  to  rtfltct  seriously  on  his 
conduct  in  abjuring  the  truth  of  God's  most  holy  word, 
and  deu}  ing  his  great  Lord  and  Master,  Jesus  Christ, 
the  sole  head  of  the  church  malitant,  and  triumphant,  he 
suffered  inconceivable  horrors  of  conscience,  insomuch 
that,  bereft  of  sleep,  he  threw  himself  on  the  gioui  d, 
and.  during  the  whole  night,  deplored  his  backsiiding, 
and  treachery  to  a  merciful  Saviour  and  Redeemer  ; 
nor  could  he  eat,  or  enjoy  any  comfort  of  life,  till 
he  sent  for  the  priest,  told  him  the  horrors  that  lad 
wrung  his  soul,  and  tore  his  name  from  the  paper  he  had 
subscribed. 

His  troubled  mind  was  now  at  rest  ;  and  though  he 
had  no  prospect  before  him  but  the  flames  and  certain 
death,  he  triumphed  in  what  he  had  done,  determining 
to  live  and  die  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  not  retract  the 
same  on  the  severest  penalty  ;  and  he  was  enabled,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  to  abide  by  the  resolution  ;  for  he  was 
soon  after  brought  into  the  bishop's  court,  and  again  ex- 
amined ;  when,  holding  fast  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel, 
he  received  sentence  of  death. 

Barlet  Green  was  descended  from  a  good  family,  and 
educated  at  the  university  of  Oxford  ;  where,  by'  read- 
ing the  divinity  lectures  of  Peter  Martyr,  he  obtained  a 
sound  knowledge  of  the  christian  fiiith,  and  became  a 
zealous  professor  of  the  pure  gospel  of  Christ. 

After  leavin^^  the  university,  he  became  a  member  of 
the  Temple  society,  and  applied  himself  to  the  siudv  of 
the  common  law,  though  he  neglected  not  the  scripture, 
in  which,  he  much  d  lighted. 

The  first  cause  of  suspicion  that  Green  deviated  from 
the  church  of  Rome,  arose  from  a  letter  he  wrote  to  one 
of  his  fellow  students  at  Oxford,  who  h^id.llcd  beyond 
sea,  on  account  of  his  religion.      This  letter  was  an  an- 


566  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

swer  to  one  he  had  received  from  his  friend,  in  which,  hp 
was  desired  to  ijiform  him  concerning  the  truth  of  a  re- 
port, which  had  been  propagated,  that  the  queen  was 

dead. 

The  letter  being  intercepted,  was  much  aggravated  by 
the  queen's  council,  as  having  a  treasonable  meaning  ; 
on  which.  Green  was  taxed  with  having  been  the  au- 
thor of  some  printed  questions,  that  were  lately  dis- 
persed in  the  city,  and,  on  that  suspicion,  committed  to 
the  Fleet. 

Although,  on  examination,  no  part  of  the  charge  could 
be  proved,  they  still  detained  him,  in  order  to  propose 
some  questions  relative  to  religion,  and  thereby  invei- 
gle him  into  confessions  that  might  afford  them  an  op- 
portunity of  persecuting  him  as  an  enemy  to  the  prhici- 
ples  of  tie  Romish  persuasion. 

This  artful  procedure  had  the  desired  effect;  for 
though  they  could  not  persecute  him  on  the  charge 
alleged,  they  inferred  from  the  very  correspondence, 
that"  he  maintained  opinions  contrary  to  the  holy  mother 
diurch,  and  committed'him,  on  mere  presumption,  to  the 

tower. 

After  they  had  confined  him  some  time,  they  sent  him 
to  the  bishop  of  London,  and  a  letter  with  him,  acquaint- 
ing the  bishop,  that  he  was  erroneous  in  his  religious 
principles,  and  desiring  that  he  might  be  treated  ac- 
cordingly. 

The"  bishop,  in  the  presence  of  several  other  prelates, 
the  archdeacon  and  dean,  treated  Green  with  much  res- 
pect, and  inquired  the  cause  of  his  imprisonment. 

Our  martyr  informed  the  bishop,  that  he  was  confin- 
ed on  account  of  a  letter  he  had  written  to  an  intimate 
friend,  whose  name  was  Gorden,  though  he  had  made 
proper  submission. 

Though  Bonner,  at  first,  treated  him  widi  affected  to- 
kens of  respect,  yet  he  appeared  desirous  of  adding  him 
to  the  number  martyred  by  the  Roman  church  ;  for  when 
he  had  vindicated  himself  from  the  charge  brought  a- 
gainst  him,  he  asked  him,  if,  since  he  was  a  prisoner,  he 
had  not  spoken,  or  written,  against  th^  real  presence  of 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  367 

Christ  in  the  srcrament  of  the  altar  ?  Green  desired  the 
bishop  not  to  put  new  questions  to  him,  as  he  was 
cleared  of  the  old  ;  upon  which,  a  lawyer  present  assur- 
ed!.im,  that  though  he  was  cleared  of  treason,  yet,  if  dur- 
ing his  confinement,  he  had  maintained  heretical  opin- 
ions, his  ordinary  had  a  right  to  proceed  against  him  on 
that  account. 

One  Ciiadrey,  a  priest,  being  sent  for,  asserted,  that, 
in  the  presence  of  the  Lieutenant  of  the  tower.  Green 
had  spoken  against  the  real  presence  and  the  sacrifice 
of  the  mass,  and  averred,  that  the  chuch  of  Rome  was  the 
church  of  antichrist. 

Being  asked  by  the  bishop,  if  the  charge  was  true, 
and  if  he  would  defend  the  same  by  scholastic  reasoning, 
he  replied,  that  he  had  not  presumption  enough  to  make 
such  an  attempt  before  so  learned  a  body  ;  but  that  he 
was  satisfied,  in  his  own  mind,  concerning  those  points, 
which  were  sufficient  for  his  salvation. 

The  lawyer  then  took  Green  aside,  and  desired  him 
not  to  oppose  the  judgment  of  so  many  learned  men, 
and  indeed  the  whole  church  ;  but  to  conform  to  the 
doctrines  and  ceremonies  of  the  same,  as  of  undoubted 
authority,  and  indisputable  validity. 

This  effiDrt,  however,  not  proving  effectual,  the  bishop 
used  the  most  soothing  means  to  give  Green  over  to  the 
popish  cause.  He  invited  him  to  sup  at  his  own  table, 
lodge  in  his  palace,  and  accept  of  other  distinguishing  to- 
kens of  respect.  From  hence,  the  artful  prelate  took  oc- 
casion to  ask  him,  why  he  departed  from  the  literal  sense 
of  the  words  in  the  sacrament,  where  Christ  says,  "  this 
is  my  body  ?" 

Green  endeavoured  to  evade  the  answer,  but  being 
pressed  by  the  bishop,  replied,  he  was  inclined  to  reject 
the  literal  sense,  fiom  the  manner  of  speaking,  from 
the  circumstance  itself,  and  by  comparing  it  with  other 
passages  of  scripture,  allowing  that  Christ  took  bread, 
and  affirmed  it  to  be  his  body,  though  he  could  not  un- 
derstand the  affirmation  as  literal,  but  as  fi,c;urative,  in 
the  same  manner,  as  when  Christ  is  called  a  deor,  a 
vine,  a  way,  &c. 


368  PERSECITTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Our  martyr  was  for  the  present  dismissed,  but  after- 
wards was  sent  for,  and  examined  by  the  bishop,  and 
several  others  ;  when  he  contiimed  steadfast  in  his  faith, 
notwithstanding  the  strongest  persuasions,  and  most 
dehisive  arguments,  were  used  to  make  him  recant. 

All  endeavours  thus  failing,  he  was  summoned  to 
appear  at  the  consistory  court,  where  he  underwent  an 
examination  concerrjing  the  articles  already    mentioned. 

The  following  are  the  particular  answers  he  gave  to  the 
articles  proposed  to  him,  as  drawn  up  by  the  bishop's 
register,  at  the  command  of  his  lordship. 

Thatneither  in  thetime  of  king  Edwardthe  sixth,  after 
the  mass  by  him  was  put  down,  nor  in  the  time  of  queen 
Mary,  when  the  mass  was  restored  again,  he  hath  heard 
any  mass  at  all  ;  but  he  saith,  that  in  the  reign  of  the 
said  queen's  majesty,  he,  the  said  Bartlet,  at  two  seve- 
ral times,  on  two  Easter-days,  in  the  chamber  of  John 
Puliuie,  one  of  the  preachers  in  king  Edward's  time, 
in  the  parish  of  St,  Michael's,  Cornhill,  in  the  diocess  of 
London,  did  receive  the  communion  with  the  said  Pul- 
line,  and  Christopher  Goodman,  some  time  reader  of 
the  divinity  lecture  m  Oxford,  now  gone  beyond  the 
sea ;  and  the  second  time,  with  the  said  Pulline,  and 
one  Runneger,  master  of  arts,  of  Magdalen  college,  in 
Oxford. 

And  this  examinant  saith,  that,  at  both  the  said  com- 
munions, he.  and  the  others  before- named,  did  take  and 
receive  bread  and  wine  ;  which  bread  and  wine,  he  saith, 
were  used  there  by  the  said  Palline,  only  readhig  the 
words  of  the  institution  expressed  in  the  book  of  com- 
munion. In  which  receiving  and  using,  this  examinant 
saith,  that  he  and  others  aforesaid,  did  receive  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper  ;  and  that  tliey  received 
material  bread  and  material  wine,  no  substance  thereof 
changed,  and  so  no  real  presence  of  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ  being  there,  but  only  grace  added  thereto. 

And  this  examinant  saith  that  he  hath  heretofore, 
during  the  reign  of  the  queen's  majesty  aforesaid,  refu- 
sed., and  so  doth  now  refuse  to  come  and  hear  mass, 
'^r>^  to  receive  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  as  they  are 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS*  369 

now  used  and  ministered  in  the  church  of  England,  be- 
cause he  saith,  that  concerning  die  mass,  he  cannot  be 
persuaded  in  his  conscience,  that  the  sacrifice  pretended 
to  be  in  the  same,  is  agreeable  to  God's  word,  or  main- 
tainable by  the  same  ;  or  that,  without  deadly  offence, 
he  can  worship  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  which  is 
pretended  to  be  there. 

And,  as  concerning  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  this  ex- 
am;nant  saith,  that  he  heretofore,  during  the  said  reign, 
had  refused,  and  now  doth  refuse  to  receive  the  same,  as 
it  i.s  now  used  in  the  church  of  England,  because  it  is 
not  usual  according  to  the  institution  of  Christ,  both 
in  a  strange  tongue,  and  also  not  ministered  in  both 
kinds  ;  and  besides,  that,  contrary  to  God's  word,  it  is 
taught,  that  the  thing  there  ministered  is  to  be  adored  a^ 
the  real  and  true  body  of  Christ. 

And  furthermore,  this  examinant  saith,  that  during 
the  said  reign,  he  hath  not  confessed  to  the  said  priest, 
nor  received  the  absolution  at  his  hand,  because  he  is 
not  bound,  by  God's  word,  to  make  auricular  confes- 
sion. 

Bartlet  Green. 

Many  lucrative  offers  were  made  him,  during  his  con- 
finement, if  he  would  conform  to  the  church  of  Rome  ; 
but  he  rejected  them  all  with  a  christian  disdain,  fully 
resolved  not  to  commit  an  act,  on  any  terms,  so  repug- 
nant to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience. 

As  he  lived,  so  he  died,  becoming  a  follower  of 
Christ,  resigning  himself  up  to  the  cruelly  of  his  tor- 
mentors,  and  patiently  submitting  to  his  lot  of  trial  here, 
in  order  to  appear  hereafter  as  gold  ten  times  purified 
in  the  fire,  and  made  meet  to  partake  of  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  in  light. 

Thomas  Brown  resided  in  the  parish  of  St.  Bride's, 
Fleet-street,  and,  at  the  instigation  of  the  constable  of 
the  parish,  was  brought  before  the  bishop  of  London, 
for  absenting  himself  from  church.  After  his  first  ex- 
amination, he  was  dismissed,  but,  in  a  few  days,  received 
a  summons  to  attend  the  bishop  at  his  palace  in  Fulham. 

3  B 


,370  PERSEeUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Here  he  underwent  another  exammation  by  his  lordship, 
and  others,  concerning  his  faith  ;  when  he  gave  answers 
to  all  their  questions,  in  a  manner  that  was  consistent 
with  the  principles  of  a  strenuous  advocate  for  the  truth 
of  the  gospel. 

On  the  close  of  this  second  examination,  he  was  again 
dismissed  for  the  present,  but  required  by  the  bishop  to 
attend  mass  the  next  day  at  the  palace.  Instead  of 
obeying  this  order,  he  retired  to  an  adjacent  field,  where 
he  kneeled  down,  and  prayed  in  private.  Information  of 
this  being  given  to  the  bishop,  he  was  highly  incensed, 
as  he  imputed  our  martyr's  conduct  to  an  impious  con- 
tempt of  the  mass. 

Being  brought  before  the  bishop,  a  third  time,  his 
lordship  told  him,  he  had  taken  much  pains  to  reclaim 
him,  and  yet  he  had  reported  that  he  sucked  his  blood. 
To  this,  our  martyr  replied,  that  he  was,  indeed,  a 
blood-sucker;  but,  if  he  could  prove  him  guilty  of  heresy 
from  scripture,  he  would  conform  to  ti-.e  church  of 
Rome.  That  he  condemned  him  because  he  would  not 
confess  and  believe  the  bread  in  the  sacrament  of  the 
altar  (as  he  called  it)  to  be  the  body  of  Christ,  therefore, 
he  shed  his  blood  ;  and  not  only  his,  but  that  of  many 
of  the  queen's  loyal  subjects,  for  which,  he  must  answer 
at  a  more  just  and  impartial  tribunal  than  that  of  his 
bloody  consistory. 

After  this  reply,  he  was  condemned,  delivered  over 
to  the  secular  power,  and  committed  to  Newgate. 

John  Tudson  was  brought  before  the  cruel  and  arbi- 
trary Bonner,  to  be  proceeded  against  according  to  ec- 
clesiastical law,  for  not  conforming  to  the  holy  mother 
church. 

The  bishop,  after  repeated  examinations,  publicly 
condemned  him  in  the  consistory  court  of  London,  for 
adhering  to  doctrines  he  had  been  taught  by  the  preach- 
ers in  the  time  of  king  Edward  the  sixth. 

He  persisted  steadfastly  in  his  faith,  and  courageously 
suffered  in  the  cause  of  the  gospel. 

John  Went,  and  Isabel  Foster,  underwent  the  same 
trial,  and  were  condemned  to  suffer  the  same  fate.     ' 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  371 

Joan  Lashford  had  attended  her  father-in-law,  John 
Warne,andher  own  mother,  Elizabeth  Warn  e,  when  they 
were  confined  under  condemnation  for  heresy ;  for  which, 
as  we  have  already  observed,  ihey  were  both  burned. — 
This  giving  suspicion,  that  she  was  one  of  the  obnoxious 
persons  in  those  days  called  heretics,  she  was  brought  be- 
fore Bishop  Bonner,  and  by  him  examined  and  con- 
demned. 

Ontne  27th  of  the  month  called  January,  1556,  these 
seven  believers  in,  and  faithful  servants  of  Christ,  were 
conducted  from  Newgate  to  Smithfield,  there  to  endure 
the  last  torments  that  could  be  inflicted  on  them  by  their 
cruel  persecutors.  They  all  went  with  great  cheerful- 
ness, singing  hymns  to  the  praise  of  their  Redeemer, 
both  in  the  way  to,  and  at  the  place  of  execution.  Bartlet 
Green,  in  particular,  frequently  repeated  the  following 
lines : 

O  Christ,  my  God,  sure  hope  of  health, 

Besides  thee  have  I  none  : 
The  truth  I  love,  and  falsehood  hate. 

Be  thou  my  guide  alone. 

They  were  chained  to  three  different  stakes,  but  con- 
sumed together  in  one  fire,  freely  yielding  up  their  lives 
in  testimony  of  the  truth,  and  sealing  with  their  blood, 
the  doctrines  of  that  gospel  they  had  so  zealously  sup- 
ported. 

Two  of  these  worthy  martyrs,  namely,  Thomas  Whit- 
tell,  and  Bartlet  Green,  wrote  a  great  number.of  letters, 
to  their  friends  and  acquaintances,  during  their  confine- 
ment ;  among  which,  as  mementos,  we  shall  preserve 
one  of  each. 

Bartlet  Green  had  been  educated  at  the  university,  and 
afterwards  studied  the  law  in  the  temple,  where  he  gave  a 
loose  to  the  follies  and  vanities  of  the  young  men  of  tliat 
age.  In  the  course  of  some  time,  he  was  sensibly  con- 
vinced of  the  impropriety  of  his  conduct,  and  heartily 
bewailed,  that  he  had  not  sooner  amended.  This  appears 
evident  from  the  following  epistle,  which  he  wrote  a 


372  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

short  time  before  his  death,  and  left  in  a  book  belonging 
to  Bartram  Crolthrop,  one  of  his  most  iniimate  ac- 
quaintances : 

"  Two  things  have  very  much  troubled  me  whilst  I 
was  in  the  temple,  pride  and  gluttony  ;  which,  under 
the  colour  of  glory  and  good  fellowship,  drew  me  almost 
from  God.  Against  both,  there  is  one  remedy,  by  earn- 
est prayer,  and  without  ceasirg.  And  forasmuch  as 
vain  glory  is  so  subtle  an  adversary,  that  almost  it  woun- 
deth  deadly,  ere  ever  a  man  can  perceive  himself  to  be 
smitten  ;  therefore,  we  ought  so  much  the  rather,  by 
continual  prayer,  to  labour  for  humbleness  of  muid. 
Truly  gluttony  beginneth  under  a  charitable  pretence  of 
mutual  love  and  society,  and  hath  in  it  most  unchari- 
tableness.  When  we  seek  to  refresh  our  bodies,  that 
they  may  be  the  more  apt  to  serve  God,  and  perform  our 
duties  towards  our  neighbours,  then  steaieth  it  in  as  a 
privy  thief,  and  murdereth  both  body  and  soul,  that  now 
it  is  not  apt  to  pray,  or  serve  God,  apt  to  stud}  or  labour 
for  our  neighbour.  Let  us,  therefore,  watch  and  be  so- 
ber :  for  our  adversary,  the  devil,  waiketh  about,  like  a 
roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour.  And  re- 
member, what  Solomon  saith,  ^*  a  patient  man  is  better 
than  a  strong  warrior  ;  and  he  that  conquereth  his  own 
stomach,  is  better  than  he  that  conquereth  towns  and 
cities." 

Bartlet  Green." 

*'  Agreement  of  minds,  joining  in  unity  of  faith,  and 
growing  up  in  charity,  is  true  and  steadfast  amity.  Fare- 
well, my  Bartram,  and  remember  me,  that  we  may  be 
like  to  meet  together  hereafter.  Farewell.  At  New- 
gate, January  20,  1556.  Set  sober  love  against  hasty 
wrath. 

Bartlet  Greek." 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  373 

A  Letter  from  Thoinas  Whittell,  to  Filles  and  Cutbert 
two  of  his  particular  friends  :  written  a  siiorttime  be 
fore  his  death. 

<*  My  dear  and  well  beloved  brethren  in  Christ,  Messrs. 
Filles  and  Cutbert,  I  wish  you  all  welfare  of  soul  and  body. 
Welfare  of  soul  is  repentance  of  sin,  faithful  affiance  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  godly  life.  Welfaretothe  body  is  the  health 
of  the  same,  with  all  necessary  things  for  this  life.  The  soul 
of  man  is  immortal,  and,  therefore,  ought  to  be  well  kept, 
lest  immortality  of  jov  should  turn  to  immortality  of  sorrow. 
As  for  the  body,  be    it  ever  so   well   kept,   and  much 
made  of,  yet  shortly,  by  nature,  will  it  perish  and  decay  : 
but  those  that  are  ingrafted  and  incorporated  into  Christ 
by  true  faith,  feeling  the  motion  of  God's  holy  spirit,  as 
a  pledge  of  their  election  and  inheritance,  exciting  and 
stirrirg  them  not  only  to  seek  heavenly  things,  but  also 
to  hate  vice,  and  embrace  virtue,  will  not  only  do  these 
things,  but  also,  if  need  require,  will  gladly  take  up  their 
cross,  and  follow  their  captain,  their  king,  and  their  Sav- 
lour  Jesus  Christ,  (as  his  poor  afflicted  church  of  England 
now  doth)  against  that    false  and   antichristian  doctrine 
and  religion  now  used,  and  especially  that  blasphemous 
mass  wherein  Christ's  supper,   and  holy   ordinance,  are 
a]  Together  perverted  and    abused,  contrary  to  his  insti- 
tution, and  to  Paul's   proceedings :  so    that,  that  which 
they  have  in  their  mass  is  neither  sacrament  of  Christ, 
nor  yet  sacrifice  for  sin,  as  the  priests  falsely  pretend.    It 
is  a  sacrament,  that  is,  as  St.  Augustine  saith,  *' a  visi- 
ble sign   of  invisible    grace,"     when  it  is  administered 
to  the  communicants,  according  to  Christ's  example,  and 
as  it  was,  of  late  years,  in  this  realm.     And  as  for  sacri- 
fice, there  is  none  to  be  made  now  for  sin  :   "for  Christ, 
with  one  sacrifice,  hath  perfected  for  ever  those  that  are 
sanctified." 

"  Beware  of  false  religion,  and  men's  vain  traditions, 
and  serve  God  with  reverence  and  godly  fear,  according 
to  the  doctrine  of  his  gospel  ;  whereto  cleave  ye,  that  a  c 
may  be  blessed,  though  of  wicked  men  you  are  hated  and 
accused.     Rather  drink  of  the  cup  of  Christ,  whh  his 


574  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PATISTS. 

church,  than  of  the  Clip  of  that  rose-coloured  whore  of 
Bab}  Ion,  which  is  full  of  abominations.  Rather  strive  ye 
to  go  to  Heaven  by  the  path  which  is  strait  to  the  flesh 
and  blood,  with  the  little  flock,  than  to  go  in  the  wide 
war,  following  the  enticements  of  the  world  and  the 
flesh,  which  lead. to  damnation. 

"  Like  as  Christ  suffered  in  the  flesh,  saith  St.  Peter, 
so  arm  ye  3  ourselves  with  the  same  mind  :  for  Christ 
suflcred  for  us.  leaving  us  an  example  to  follow  his  foot- 
steps. Blessed  are  they  that  suffer  for  his  sake  ;  great 
is  their  reward  in  Heaven.  He  that  overcometh,  saith 
St.  John,  Rev.  2,  3,  shall  eat  of  the  tree  of  life  ;  he  shall 
have  a  crown  of  life,  and  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death  : 
he  shall  be  elothed  with  white  array,  and  not  be  put  out 
of  tlie  book  of  life  ;  yea,  I  will  confess  his  name,  saith 
Christ,  before  my  Father,  and  before  his  angels,  and  he 
shall  be  a  pillar  in  the  house  of  God,  and  sit  with  me  on 
myrseat.  And  thus,  I  bid  you  farewell,  mine  own  breth- 
ren, and  dear  fellows  in  Christ ;  whose  grace  and  peace 
be  always  with  you.     Amen. 

Thomas  Whittell." 

Four  days  after  the  before-mentioned  seven  martyrs 
suffered  in  Smithfield,  five  others  were  burnt  at  Canter- 
bury. Their  names  were,  John  Lodmas,  Ann  Albright, 
Joan  Cotmer,  Agnes  Snoth,  and  Joan  Sole. 

These  five  steadfast  servants  of  God,  and  willing  fol- 
lowers of  Christ,  wxre  bound  together  at  two  stakes,  re- 
joicing in  the  flames,  and  chaunting  hallelujahs  to  God 
and  the  Lamb,  who  had  given  them  the  victory  over  their 
enemies,  and  a  good  liope,  through  grace,  that  when 
this  earthly  tabernacle  was  dissolved,  they  should  have  a 
house,  not^nade  with  hands,  but  eternal  in  die  heavens. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  375 

jin  account  of  the  life,  sufferings^  and  Alartyrdom  of  Thom- 
as Cranmer^  the  first  Protestant  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury^ who  xvas  burnt  at  Oxford^  on  the  2\st  of  the  month 
called  March,  1556. 

This  eminent  prelate  was  bom  at  Aslacton,  in  Notting. 
hamshire,  on  the  2d  of  the  month  called  July,  1489.  His 
family  was  ancient,  and  came  in  witli  William  the  con- 
queror. He  was  early  deprived  of  his  father  Thomas 
Cranmer,  Esq.  and,  after  no  extraordinary  education, 
was  sent  by  his  mother  to  Cambridge,  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen, according  to  the  custom  of  those  times. 

Having  completed  his  studies  at  the  university,  he  took 
the  usual  degrees,  and  was  so  well  beloved,  that  he  was 
chosen  fellow  of  Jesus  college  ;  soon  after  which,  he  be- 
came celebrated  for  his  great  learning  and  abilities. 

In  1521,  he  married,  by  which  he  forfeited  the  fellowship 
of  Jesus  college  ;  but  his  wife  dying  in  child-bed,  within 
the  year,  he  was  re-elected.  This  favour  he  most  grate- 
fully acknowledged,  and  chose  to  decline  an  offer  of  a  much 
more  valuable  fellowship  in  cardinal  Wolsey's  new  semina- 
ry, at  Oxford,  rather  than  relinquish  friends  who  had  treated 
him  with  the  most  distinguished  respect. 

In  1523,  he  commenced  doctor  of  divinity  ;  and,  being 
in  great  esteem  for  theological  learning,  he  was  chosen  di- 
vinity lecturer  in  his  own  college,  and  appointed,  by  the 
university,  one  of  the  examiners  in  that  science.  In  this 
office,  he  principally  inculcated  the  study  of  the  holy  scrip- 
tures, then  greatly  neglected,  as  being  indispensably  ne- 
cessary for  the  professors  of  that  divine  knowledge. 

The  plague  happening  to  break  out  at  Cambridge, 
Cranmer,  with  some  of  his  pupils,  removed  to  Waltham- 
abbey,  where,  falling  into  company  with  Gardner  and  Fox, 
one  the  secretary,  the  other  almoner  of  king  Henry  VIII, 
that  monarch's  intended  di^  orce  of  Catharine  his  queen, 
the  common  subject  of  discourse  in  those  days,  came  upon 
the  carpet ;  when,  Cranmer  advising  an  application  to  our 
own,  and  to  the  foreign  universities,  for  their  opinion  in 
the  case,  and  giving  these  gentlemen  much  satisfoction, 
they  introduced  liim  to  the  king,  who  was  ^'^  ■^''    s' '•  with 


376  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

him,  that  he  ordered  him  to  write  his  thoughts  on  the  sub- 
.iect,  made  him  his  chaplain,  and  admitted  him  into  that 
favour  and  esieeai,  which  he  never  afterw^ards  forfeited. 

In  1530,  he  was  sent  by  the  king,  with  a  solemn  em- 
bassy, to  dispute  on  the  subject  of  the  divorce  at  Paris, 
Rome,  and  other  foreign  parts.  At  Rome,  he  delivered  his 
book,  which  he  had  written  in  defence  of  the  divorce, 
to  the  pope,  and  offered  to  justify  it  in  a  public  disputa- 
tion :  but,  after  various  promises  and  appointments,  none 
appeared  to  oppose  him  ;  while  in  private  conferences,  he 
forced  them  to  confess,  that  that  marriage  was  contrary  to 
the  law  of  God.  The  pope  constituted  him  penitentiary 
general  of  England, and  dismissed  him.  In  Germany,  he 
gave  full  satisfaction  to  many  learned  men,  who  were  be- 
fore of  a  contrary  persuasion  :  and  prevailed  on  the  famous 
Osander  (whose  niece  he  married  while  there)  to  declare 
the  king's  marriage  unlawful. 

Durnig  the  time  he  was  abroad,  the  great  archbishop 
Warham  died.  Henry,  convinced  of  Cranmer's  merit, 
determined  that  he  should  succeed  him  ;  and  command- 
ed him  to  return  for  that  purpose.  He  suspected  the 
cause,  and  delayed  :  he  was  desirous,  by  all  means,  to  de- 
cline this  high  station  :  for  he  had  a  true  and  primitive 
sense  of  the  office.  But  a  spirit,  so  different  from  that  of 
the  churchmen  of  his  times,  stimulated  the  king's  resolu- 
tion ;  and  the  more  reluctance  Cranmer  shewed,  the  great- 
er resolution  Henry  exerted.  He  was  consecrated  in 
the  month  called  March  30,  1533,  to  the  office;  and 
though  he  received  the  usual  bulls  from  the  pope,  he  pro- 
tested, at  his  consecration,  against  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
&c.  to  him.  For  he  had  conversed  freely  with  the  reform- 
ed in  Germany  ;  had  read  Luther's  books  :  and  was  zeal- 
ously attached  to  the  glorious  cause  of  reformation. 

The  first  service  he  did  the  king,  in  his  archiepiscopal 
character,  was  pronouncing  the  sentence  of  his  divorce, 
from  queen  Catharine  :  and  the  next,  in  joining  his  hands 
with  Anne  Boleyn,  the  consequence  of  which  marriage 
M^as  the  birth  of  Elizabeth,  to  whom  he  stood  godfather. 


J>ERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS*  37^- 

As  the  queen  was  greatly  interested  in  the  reforma* 
tion.  the  friends  to  that  good  work  began  to  conceive 
high  hopes ;  and,  indeed,  it  went  on  with  desirable  suc- 
cess. But  the  fickle  disposition  of  the  king,  and  the  fa- 
tal enduf  tiie  unhappy  Anne,  for  a  while,  alarmed  their 
fears  :  though,  by  God's  providence,  without  any  ill  ef- 
fects. The  pope's  supremacy  was  universially  explod* 
ed  ;  monasteries,  &c.  destroyed,  upon  the  fullest  detec- 
tion of  the  most  abominable  vices,  and  inordinances : 
that  valuable  book  of  ''  The  erudition  of  a  christian  man,'' 
was  set  forth  by  our  great  archbishop,  with  public  author- 
ity :  and  the  sacred  scriptures,  at  length,  to  the  infinite 
joy  of  Cranmer,  and  the  worthy  lord  Cromwell,  his  con- 
stant friend  and  associate,  were  not  only  translated,  but 
introduced  into  every  parish.  The  translation  was  re-* 
ceived  with  inexpressible  joy  ;  every  one,  that  was  able^ 
purchased  it,  and  the  poor  flocked  greedily  to  hear  it 
read  :  some  persons  in  years,  learned  to  read  on  purpose, 
that  they  might  peruse  it :  and  even  little  children  crowd- 
ed with  eagerness  to  hear  it !  we  cannot  help  reflecting, 
on  this  occasion,  how  much  we  are  bound  to  prize 
this  sacred  treasure,  which  we  enjoy  so  perfectly  :  and 
how  much  to  contend  against  every  attempt  of  those  ene- 
mies and  that  church,  which  would  deprive  us  of  it,  and 
again  reduce  us  to  legends  and  schoolmen,  to  ignorance 
and  idolatry. 

Cranmer,  that  he  might  proceed  with  true  judgment, 
made  a  collection  of  opinions  from  the  works  of  the  an- 
cient fathers  and  later  doctors  ;  of  which,  bishop  Burnet 
saw  two  volumes  in  folio  ;  and  it  appears,  by  a  letter  of 
lord  Burleigh's,  that  there  were  then  six  volumes  of  Cran- 
mer's  collections  in  his  hands.  A  work  of  incrediblcl  a- 
bour,  but  vast  utility. 

A  short  time  after  this,  he  gave  a  shining  proof  of  his 
sincere  and  dibintcrested  constancy,  by  his  noble  opposi- 
tion to  what  are  commonly  called  king  Henry's  six  bloody 
articles.^     However,  he  weathered  the  storm  ;  and  pub- 

*  By  these,  none  were  allowed  to  speak  a.^ainst  transubstanllation  on  pain  of 
of  being-  burned  as  heretics,  and  forfeiting  tlieir  jroods  and  chattels,  as  in  case 
tff  treason.  It  was  also  tlierebv  made  felony,  and  forfeiture  of  lands  and  goods^ 

3  c 


378  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

lished,  with  an  incomparable  preface,  written  by  him- 
self, the  larger  bible  ;  six  of  which,  even  Bonner,  then 
newly  consecrated  bishop  of  London,  caused  to  be  fixed 
for  the  perusal  of  the  people,  in  his  cathedral  of  St. 
Paul's. 

The  enemies  of  the  reformation,  however,  were  rest- 
less :  and  Henry,  alas !  was  no  protestant  in  his  heart. 
Cromwell  fell  a  sacrifice  to  them ;  and  they  aimed  every 
possible  shaft  at  Cranmcr.  Gardner,  in  particular,  was 
indefatigable  :  he  caused  him  to  be  accused  ia  parlia- 
ment, and  several  lords  of  the  privy  council,  moved  the 
king  to  commit  the  archbishop  to  the  tower.  Tiie  king 
perceived  their  malice  ;  and  one  evening,  on  pretence  of 
diverting  himself  on  the  water,  ordered  his  barge  to  be 
rowed  to  Lambeth  side.  The  archbishop,  being  in- 
formed of  it,  came  down  to  pay  his  res])ects,  and  was 
ordered,  by  the  king,  to  come  into  the  barge  and  sit 
close  by  him.  Henry  made  him  acquainted  with  the  ac- 
cusations of  heresy,  faction,  &c.  which  were  laid  against 
him ;  and  spoke  of  his  opposition  to  the  six  articles. 
The  archbishop  modestly  replied,  that  he  could  not  but 
ackiiowledge  himself  to  be  of  the  same  opinion,  with  res- 
pect to  them ;  but  was  not  conscious  of  having  offend- 
ed against  them.  The  king  then  putting  on  an  air  of 
pleasantry,  asked  him,  if  his  bed-chamber  could  stand 
the  test  of  these  articles  ?  The  archbishop  confessed,  that 
he  was  married  in  Germany,  before  his  promotion  ;  but  as- 
sured the  king,  that  on  the  passing  of  that  act,  he  had  parted 
with  his  wife,  and  sent  her  abroad  to  her  friends.  His  ma- 
jesty the  king  was  so  charmed  with  his  openness  and  in- 
tegrity, that  he  discovered  the  whole  plot  that  was  laid  a- 
gainst  him  ;  and  gave  him  a  ring  of  great  value  to  pro- 
duce upon  any  future  emergency. 

A  few  days  after  this,  Cranmer's  enemies  summoned 
him  to  appear  before  the  council.  He  accordingly  attend- 
ed, when  they  suffered  him  to  wait  in  the  lobby,  amongst 
the  footmen,  treated  him,  on  his  admission,  with  haughty 
contempt,  and  would  have  sent  him  to  the  tower.     But 

to  defend  the  communion  in  both  kiiids,  or  marriage  of  the  clergy,  or  of  those 
who  had  vowed  celibacy  :  or  to  speak  against  private  masses  and  auricular 
confession. 


PERSECUTED    BY     THE     PAPISTS.  379 

lie  produced  the  ring ;  and  grained  his  enemies  a  severe 
reprimand  from  Henry,  and  himself  the  highest  degree 
of  security  and  favour. 

On  this  occasion,  he  shewed  that  lenity  and  mildness 
for  which,  he  was  always  so  much  distinguished  :  he  nev- 
er persecuted  any  of  his  enemies.  But,  on  the  contrary, 
freely  forgave  even  the  inveterate  Gardner,  on  his  writ- 
ing a  supplicatory  letter  to  him  for  that  purpose.  The 
same  lenity  he  shewed  towards  Dr.  Thornton,  the  suf- 
fragan of  Dover,  and  Dr.  Barber,  who,  though  entertained 
in  his  family,  entrusted  with  his  secrets,  and  indebt- 
ed to  him  for  many  favours,  had  ungratefully  conspired 
with  Gardner  to  take  away  his  life. 

When  Cranmer  lirst  discovered  their  treachery  he 
took  them  aside  into  his  study,  and  telling  them,  that  he 
had  been  basely  and  falsely  accused  by  some,  in  whom  he 
had  always  reposed  the  greatest  confidence,  desired  them 
to  advise  him  how  he  sho^ild  behave  himself  towards 
them.  They  not  suspecting  themselves  concerned  in 
the  question,  replied,  that  such  vile,  abandoned  villains, 
ought  to  be  prosecuted  with  the  greatest  rigour ;  nav, 
deserved  to  die,  without  mercy.  At  this,  the  archbishop, 
lifting  up  his  hands  to  Heaven,  cried  out,  **  merciful 
God  !  whom  may  a  man  trust  ?"  And  then  taking  out  of 
his  bosom  the  letters,  by  which  he  had  discovered  their 
treachery,  asked  ti.em,  if  they  knew  those  papers  ?  When 
they  savv  their  own  letters  produced  against  them,  they 
were  in  the  utmost  confusion  ,  and  falling  down  upon 
their  knees,  humbly  sued  forgiveness.  The  archbishop 
told  them,  '*  that  he  forgave  them,  and  would  pray  for 
them  ;  but  that  they  must  not  expect  him  ever  to  trust 
them  for  the  future." 

He  was  condemned  for  treason,  and  pardoned;  but, 
to  gratify  Gardner^s  malice,  and  her  own  implacable  re- 
resentment  against  him  for  her  mother's  divorce,  Mary 
gave  orders  to  proceed  against  him  for  heresy.  His 
friends,  who  foresaw  the  storm,  had  advised  him  to 
consult  his  safety,  by  retiring  beyond  sea  ;  but  he  chose 
rather  to  continue  steady  to  the  cause,  which  he  had  so 
nobly  supported  hitherto  ;  and  preferred  the  probability 


|B8$  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

of  sealing  his  testimony  with  his  blood,  to  an  ignomin- 
ious and  dishonourable  flight. 

The  tower  was  crowded  with  prisoners ;  insomuch 
that  Cranmer,  Ridley,  Latimer,  and  Bradford,  were  all 
put  intoonec  hamber;  which  they  were  so  far  from  think- 
ing an  inconvenience,  that,  on  the  contrary,  they  bless- 
ed God  for  the  opportunity  of  conversing  together  ; 
reading,  and  comparing  the  scriptures,  confirming  them- 
selves in  the  true  faith,  and  mutually  exhorting  each 
other  to  constancy  in  professing  it,  and  patience  in  suf- 
fering for  it.  Happy  society!  blessed  martyrs !  rather 
to  be  envied,  than  the  purpled  tyrant,  with  the  sword 
deep-drenched  in  blood,  though  encircled  with  all  the 
pomp  and  pageantry  of  power  ! 

In  the  month  called  April,  1554,  the  archbishop,  with 
bishops  Ridley  and  Latimer,  was  removed  from  the 
tower  to  Windsor,  and  from  thence  to  Oxford,  to  dis- 
pute with  some  select  persons  of  both  universities.  But, 
alas  !  what  farces  are  disputations,  where  the  fate  of 
men  is  fixed,  and  every  word  is  misunderstood  !  And 
such  was  the  case  here:  for,  on  the  20th  of  the  month 
called  April,  Cranmer  was  brought  to  St.  Mary's,  be- 
fore the  queen's  commissioners,  and  refusing  to  sub- 
scribe to  the  po]:ish  articles,  he  w^as  pronounced  a  he- 
retic, and  sentence  of  condemation  was  passed  upon 
him.  Upon  which,  he  told  them,  that  he  appealed 
from  their  unjust  sentence  to  that  of  the  Almighty  ;  and 
that  he  trusted  to  be  received  into  his  presence  in  heaven 
for  maintaining  the  truth,  as  set  forth  in  his  most  holy 
gospel. 

After  this,  his  servants  were  dismissed  from  their  at- 
tendance, and  himself  closely  confined  in  Bocardo,  the 
prison  of  the  city  of  Oxford.  But  this  sentence  being 
void  in  law,  as  the  pope's  authority  was  wanting,  anew 
commission  was  sent  from  Rome,  in  1555  ;  and  in  St. 
Mary's  church,  at  the  high  altar,  the  court  sat,  and  tried 
the  already. condemned  Cranmer.  He  was  here  well 
pigh  too  strong  for  his  judges  ;  and,  if  reason  and  truth 
l^oyld  have  prevailed,  there  would  have  been  no  doubt? 
^hQ  should  have  beei;i  acquitted,  and  who  condemned. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  381 

In  the  month  called  February,  follovA  ing,  a  new  com- 
mission was  given  to  bishop  Bonner  and  bishop  Thirl- 
by,  for  the  degradation  of  the  archbisl.op.  Wi;en  they 
came  down  to  Oxford,  he  was  brought  before  them  ;  and 
after  they  had  read  their  commission  from  the  pope,  (lor 
not  appearing  before  ^vhGm  in  person,  as  they  had  cit^d 
him,  he  was  declared  contumacious,  though  they  them- 
selves had  kept  him  a  close  prisoner)  Bonner,  in  a  scur- 
rilous oration,  insulted  him  in  the  most  unchristian 
manner,  for  which,  he  was  often  rebuked  by  bishop 
Thirlby,  who  wept,  and  declared,  it  the  most  sorrowful 
scene  he  had  ever  beheld  in  his  whole  life.  In  the  com- 
mission, it  was  declared,  that  the  cause  had  been  im- 
partially  heard  at  Rome  ;  the  whnesscs  on  both  sides 
examined,  and  th.e  archbishop's  counsel  allowed  to  make 
the  best  defence  for  him  they  could. 

At  the  reading  of  this,  the  archbishop  could  not  help 
crying  out,  ''good  God!  what  lies  are  these  ;  that  1, 
being  continually  in  prison,  and  not  suffered  to  have 
counsel  or  advocate  at  home,  should  produce  witnesses, 
and  appoint  my  counsel  at  Rome  !  God  must  needs 
punish  this  shameless  and  open  lying  !" 

When  Bonner  had  finished  his  invective,  they  pro- 
ceeded to  degrade  him  ;  and  that  they  might  make  him 
as  ridiculous  as  they  could,  the  episcopal  habit,  w  hich 
they  put  on  him,  was  made  of  canvas  and  old  riigs. 
Bonner,  in  the  mean  time,  by  way  of  triumph  aiid 
mockery,  calling  him  Mr.  Canterbury,  and  tlie  like. 

He  bore  all  this  treatment  with  his  wonted  fortitude 
and  patience  ;  told  them  "  the  degradation  gave  him  no 
concern,  for  he  had  long  despised  those  ornaments :" 
but  when  they  came  to  take  away  his  ci  osier,  he  held  it 
fast,  and  delivered  his  appeal  to  Thirlby,  saying,  "  I 
appeal  to  the  next  general  council." 

When  they  had  stripped  him  of  all  his  habits,  they 
put  on  him  a  poor  yeoman- beadle's  gown,  thread-bare 
and  ill-shaped,  and  a  townsman's  cap  ;  and,  in  this  man- 
ner, delivered  him  to  the  secular  power  to  be  canied 
back  to  prison,  where  he  was  kept  entirel}  destitute  of 
money,    and   totally  secluded  from   his  friends.     Nay, 


382  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

such  was  the  iniquity  of  the  times,  that  a  gentleman  was 
taken  into  custody  by  Bonner,  and  narrowly  escaped  a 
trial,  for  giving  the  poor  archbishop  money  to  buy  him 
a  dinner. 

Cranmer  had  now  been  imprisoned  almost  three  years, 
and  death  should  have  soon  followed  his  sentence  and 
degradation  :  but  his  cruel  enemies  reserved  him  for 
greater  misery  and  insult.  Every  engine  that  could  be 
thought  of,  was  employed  to  shake  his  constancy  ;  but 
he  held  fast  to  the  profession  of  his  faith.  Nay,  even 
when  he  saw  the  barbarous  martyrdom  of  his  dear  com- 
panions, Ridley  and  Latimer,  he  was  so  far  from  shrinking, 
that  he  not  only  prayed  to  God  to  strengthen  them,  but, 
also,  by  their  example,  to  animate  him  to  a  patient  ex- 
pectation and  endurance  of  the  same  fiery  trial. 

The  papists,  after  trying  various  severe  ways  to  bring 
Cranmer  over,  without  effect,  at  lengdi  determined  to 
try  what  gentle  methods  would  do.  They  accordingly 
removed  him  from  prison  to  the  lodgings  of  the  dean  of 
Christ-church,  where  they  urged  every  persuasive  and 
affecting  argument  to  make  him  deviate  from  his  faith  ; 
and,  indeed,  too  much  melted  his  gentle  nature,  by  the 
false  sunshine  of  pretended  civihty  and  respect. 

The  unfortunate  prelate,  however,  withstood  every 
temptation,  at  which,  his  enemies  were  so  much  irritated, 
that  they  removed  him  from  the  dean's  lodgings  to  the 
most  loathsome  part  of  the  prison  in  which  he  had  been 
confined,  and  then  treated  him  with  uncommon  severity. 
This  was  more  than  the  infirmities  of  so  old  a  man  could 
support :  the  frailty  of  human  nature  prevailed ;  and 
he  was  induced  to  sign  six  difterent  recantations, 
drawn  from  him  by  the  malice  and  artifice  of  his  ene- 
mies. 

This,  however,  did  not  satisfy  them./rhey  were  deter- 
mined not  to  spare  his  life.  Nothing  less  than  his  death 
could  satiate  the  gloomy  queen,  who  said,  that  *'  as  he 
had  been  the  promoter  of  heresy,  which  had  corrupted 
the  whole  nation,  the  abjuration,  which  was  sufficient 
in  other  cases,  should  not  serve  his  turn  ;  for  she  was 
resolved  he  should  be  burned.'^     Accordingly,  she  sent 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  383 

orders  to  Dr.  Cole,  to  prepare  a  sermon  on  the  occasion 
of  his  death,  which  was  fixed  to  be  on  the  21st  of  the 
month  called  March. 

The  archbishop  had  no  suspicion  that  such  would  be 
his  fate,  after  what  he  had  done  ;  but  he  soon  found  his 
mistake. 

The  papists,  determined  to  carry  their  resentment  to 
the  most  extravagant  length,  thought  to  inflict  a  farther 
punishment  on  him,  by  obliging  him  to  read  his  recanta- 
tion publicly  in  St.  Mary's  church  ;  and  on  this,  they 
proposed  to  triumph  in  his  death  :  but  their  base  inten- 
tions were  happily  frustrated. 

On  the  morning  of  the  day  appointed  for  his  execu- 
,  cution,  he  was  conducted  between  two  friars  to  St.  Ma- 
ry's church.  As  soon  as  he  entered,  Dr.  Cole  mounted 
the  pulpit,  and  the  archbishop  was  placed  opposite  to  it, 
on  a  low  scaffold,  a  spectacle  of  scorn  and  contempt  to 
the  people. 

Cole  magnified  his  conversion  as  the  immediate 
work  of  God's  inspiration;  exhorted  him  to  bear  up  with 
resolution  against  the  terrors  of  death ;  and,  by  the  ex- 
ample of  the  thief  on  the  cross,  encouraged  him  not  to 
despair,  since  he  was  returned,  though  late,  into  the 
bosom  of  the  church.  He  also  assured  him,  that  dirges 
and  masses  should  be  said  for  his  soul  in  all  the  churches 
of  Oxford. 

As  soon  as  the  archbishop  perceived,  from  Cole's  ser- 
mon, what  was  the  bloody  decree,  struck  with  horror  at 
the  base  inhumanity  of  such  proceedings,  he  gave,  by 
all  his  gestures,  a  full  proof  of  the  deep  anguish  of  his 
soul. 

At  length,  being  called  upon  by  Cole  to  declare  his 
faith  and  reconciliation  with  the  catholic  church,  he  rose 
with  all  possible  dignity  ;  and,  while  the  audience  was 
wrapped  in  the  most  profound  expectation,  he  kneeled 
down,  and  repeated  the  following  words  : 

"  O  Father  of  Heaven  !  O  Son  of  God,  Redeemer  of 
the'^world  !  O  Holy  Ghost !  proceeding  from  them  both  ; 
three  persons,  and  one  God,  have  mercy  upon  me,  most 
wretched  and  miserable   sinner  !  I,  who  have  offended 


384  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS; 

both  Heaven  and  earth,  and  more  grievously  than  any 
tongue  can  express,  whither  then  may  I  go,  or  where 
shall  I  fly  for  succour?  To  Heaven,  I  may  be  ashamed  to 
lift  up  my  eyes  ;  and  in  earth,  I  find  no  refuge  ;  what 
shall  I  then  do  ?  Shall  I  despair  ?  God  forbid  I  O  good 
God,  thou  art  merciful !  and  refusest  none  who  come  to 
thee  for  succour  :  to  thee,  therefore,  do  I  run  :  to  thee 
do  I  humble  myself,  saying,  O  Lord  God,  my  sins  are 
great,  but  yet  have  mercy  upon  me,  for  thy  gre;it  mercy  ! 
O  God,  the  Son,  thou  wast  not  made  man,  this  great 
mystery  was  not  wrought  for  few,  or  small  offences  ! 
nor  didst  thou  give  thy  Son  unto  death,  O  God  the 
Father,  for  our  little  and  small  sins  only,  but  for  all  the 
greatest  sins  of  the  world :  so  the  sinner  return  unto  thee, 
with  a  penitent  heart,  as  I  do  here  at  this  present ; 
wherefore,  have  mercy  upon  me,  O  Lord  !  whose  prop- 
erty is  always  to  have  mercy :  for  although  my  Mns  be 
great,  yet  thy  mercy  is  greater!  I  crave  nothing,  O  Lord! 
for  my  own  merits,  but  for  thy  name's  sake,  that  it  may 
be  glorified  thereby,  and  for  thy  dear  Son,  Jesus  Christ's 
sake,  and  now,  therefore,  Our  Father,  &c." 

He  then  rose  up,  exhorted  the  people  to  a  contempt 
of  this  world,  to  obedience  to  their  sovereign,  and  to 
mutual  love  and  charity.  He  told  them,  that  being  now 
on  the  brink  of  eternity,  he  would  declare  unto  them 
his  fi\ith,  without  reserve  or  dissimulation  :  he  then  re- 
peated the  apostle's  creed,  and  professed  his  belief 
thereof,  and  of  all  things  contained  in  the  Old  and  New 
Testament. 

By  speaking  thus  in  general  terms,  the  attention  of  the 
audience  was  kept  up  ;  but  amazement  continued  that 
attention,  when  they  heard  him,  instead  of  reading  his  re- 
cantation, declare  his  great  and  unfeigned  repentance,  for 
having  ht:en  induced  to  subscribe  the  popish  errors  :  he 
lamennted,  with  many  tears,  his  greivous  fall,  and  declar- 
ed that  the  hand  which  had  so  offended,  should  be  burned 
before  the  rest  of  his  body. 

He  then  renounced  the  pope  in  most  express  terms, 
and  professed  his  belief  concerning  the  eucharist  to  be  tlie 


ffERSECUTJED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  385 

^same,  with  what  he  had  asserted  in  his  book  against  Gard- 
ner. 

This  was  a  great  disappointment  to  the  papists  :  they 
made  loud  clamours,  and  charged  him  with  hypocrisy 
and  falsehood  :  to  which,  he  meekly  replied,  *'  that  he  was 
a  plain  man,  and  never  had  acted  the  hypocrite,  but  when 
he  was  seduc<.d  by  them  to  a  recantation." 

He  would  have  gone  on  further,  but  Cole  cried,  *'  stop 
the  heretic's  mouth,  and  take  him  away." 

Upon  this,  the  monks  and  friars  rudely  pulled  him  from 
the  scaftbid,  and  hurried  him  away  to  the  stake,  (where 
Ridley  and  Latimer  had  before  been  offered  up)  which 
was  at  the  north  of  the  city,  in  the  ditch  opposite  Baliol 
•ollege. 

Bui,  if  his  enemies  were  disappointed  by  his  behaviour 
in  the  church,  they  were  doubly  so  by  that  at  the  stake. 
He  approached  it  with  a  cheerful  countenance  ;  prayvd, 
and  undressed  himself  ;  his  shirt  was  made  long,  down  to 
his  feet,  which  were  bare,  as  was  his  head,  where  a  hair 
could  not  be  seen.  His  beard  was  so  long  and  thick,  that 
it  covered  his  flice  with  wonderful  gravity  ;  and  his  rever- 
end countenance  moved  the  hearts  both  of  friends  and 
enemies. 

The  friars  tormented  him  with  their  admonitions  ;  while 
Cranmer  gave  his  hand  to  several  old  men,  who  stood  by, 
bidding  them  farewell. 

When  he  was  chained  to  the  stake,  and  the  fire  kin- 
dled, he  seemed  superior  to  all  sensation  but  that  of  piety. 
He  stretched  out  the  offending  hand  to  the  flame,  which 
was  seen  burning  for  some  time  before  the  fire  came  to 
any  other  part  of  his  body  ;  nor  did  he  draw  it  back,  but 
once  to  wipe  his  face,  till  it  was  entirely  consumed  :  sayiug 
often,  "  this  unworthy  hand,  this  hand  hath  offended;"  and, 
raising  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  he  expired,  with  the  dying 
prayer  of  St.  Stephen  in  his  mouth,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive 
my  spirit  !" 

He  burned,  to  all  appearance,  without  pain  or  motion  ; 
and  seemed  to  repel  the  torture  by  mere  strength  of  mind, 
shewing  a  repentance  and  fortitude,  which  ought  to  can- 
cel all  reproach  of  timidity  in  his  lift;, 

3  i> 


386  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Thus  died  ai'chbishop  Cranmer,  in  the  sixty- seventh 
year  of  his  age,  and  the  twenty-third  of  his  primacy  ;  leav- 
ing an  only  son,  of  his  own  name,  behind  him. 

He  was  a  man,  naturally  of  a  mild  and  gentle  temper  ; 
not  soon  provoked,  and  yet  so  easy  to  forgive,  that  it  be- 
came a  kind  of  proverb  concerning  him,  '*  do  my  lord  of 
Canterbury  a  shrewd  turn,  and  he  will  be  your  friend  as 
long  as  you  live." 

His  candour  and  sincerity,  meekness  and  humility, 
were  admired  by  all  who  conversed  with  him :  but  the 
queen  could  not  forgive  his  zeal  for  the  reformation,  nor 
his  divorce  of  her  mother,  and  therefore,  she  brought  him 
to  the  stake  ;  which  has  justly  numbered  him  amongst  the 
noblest  martyrs  who  suffered  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 

He  may  truly  be  ranked  with  the  greatest  primitive 
bishops,  and  the  fathers  of  the  very  first  class,  who  were 
men  as  well  as  himself;  and,  therefore,  if  in  a  scrutiny  of 
theirs,  or  of  his  character,  some  infirmities  and  imperfec- 
tions may  appear,  we  may  learn  to  make  a  wise  and  mor- 
al  improvement  by  them.  His  learning  was  great,  and  his 
endeavour  to  encourage  it  greater.  To  him,  under  God, 
\vc  are  indebted  for  the  great  blessing  we  enjoy  of  reforma- 
tion, of  which,  he  was  the  pillar  and  ornament:  and,  while 
w^e  repeat  the  liturgy,  and  hear  the  bible  in  our  congrega- 
tions, so  long  shall  we  venerate  the  name  of  archbishop 
Canmer. 

Cranmer' s  labours  were  well  seconded  by  Ridley,  Lati- 
mer, and  Hooper,  ^^^ho  were  his  fellow -martyrs  in  the 
cause  of  reformation  :  but  the  characters  of  this  illustrious 
quadriumvirate  differed  one  from  the  other.  Cranmer  was 
most  respected  ;  Latimer  was  most  followed  ;  Ridley  best 
esteemed ;  and  Hooper  most  beloved.  The  art  and  ad- 
dress of  Cranmer,  proved  a  happy  balance  to  the  zeal  of 
Latimer  ;  w^hile  the  relaxed  notions  of  Hooper,  were  temp- 
ered by  the  virtu  ^^  and  wisdom  of  Ridley. 

Cranmer,  during  his  imprisonment,  wrote  a  great  num- 
ber of  letters  to  different  persons,  whom  he  knew  to  i>e 
professors  of  Christ's  gospel.  Amongst,  these  we  shall 
preserve  the  following  : 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS,  587 

A  letter  from  archbishop  Cranmer,  to TJilkinson^  ex- 
horting her  tojiy  in  the  time  of  persecution.    * 

"  The  true  comforter  in  all  distress,  is  onh^  God, 
through  his  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  and  whosoever  liath  him, 
hath  company  enough,  if  he  were  in  a  wilderness  all  alone  ; 
and  he  that  hath  twenty  thousand  in  his  company,  if  God 
be  absent,  is  in  a  miserable  wilderness  and  desolation. — 
In  him  is  all  comfort,  and  without  him  is  none.  Where- 
fore, I  beseech  you,  seek  your  dwelling  there,  where  you 
may  truly  and  rightly  serve  God,  and  dwell  in  him,  and 
have  him  ever  dwelling  in  you.  What  can  be  so  heavy  a 
burden  as  an  unquiet  conscience,  to  be  in  such  a  place  as 
a  man  cannot  be  suffered  to  serve  God  in  Christ's  religion  ? 
If  you  be  loth  to  depart  from  your  kindred  and  friends,  re- 
member that  Christ  calleth  them  his  mother,  sisters,  and 
brothers,  that  do  his  Father's  will.  Where  we  find,  there- 
fore, God  truly  honoured  according  to  his  will,  there  we 
can  lack  neither  friend  nor  kindred. 

'^  If  you  be  loth  to  depart  for  the  slander  of  God's  word, 
remember  that  Christ,  when  his  hour  was  not  yet  come, 
departed  out  of  his  country  into  Samaria,  to  avoid  the  mal- 
ice of  the  scribes  and  pharisees  ;  and  commanded  his  a- 
postles,  if  they  were  pursued  in  one  place,  they  should  fly 
to  another.  And  was  iiot  Paul  let  down  by  a  basket  out 
at  a  window,  to  avoid  the  persecution  of  Aretas  ?  And 
what  wisdom  and  policy  he  used,  from  time  to  time,  to  es- 
cape the  malice  of  his  enemies,  the  acts  of  the  apostles  do 
declare.  And,  after  the  same  sort,  did  the  other  apostles, 
albeit,  when  it  came  to  such  a  jjoint,  that  they  could  no 
longer  escape  danger  of  die  persecutors  of  God's  true  re- 
ligion, then  they  shewed,  themselves,  that  the}'  flying  be- 
fore came  not  of  fear,  but  of  godly  wisdom  to  do  more 
good  ;  and  that  they  w^ould  not  rashly,  without  urgent  ne- 
cessity, ofter  themselves  to  death,  which  had  been  but  a 
temptation  of  God.  Yea,  when  they  were  apprehended, 
and  could  no  longer  avoid,  then  they  stood  boldly  to  the 
profession  of  Christ ;  then  they  shewed  how  little  they  pas- 
sed of  death ;  how   much  thev    feared    God  more  than 


$88  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

men  ;  how  much  they  loved  and  preferred  the  eternal  life 
to  come  above  this  short  and  miserable  life. 

"  Wherefore,  I  exhort  you,  as  well  by  Christ's  command- 
ment, as  by  the  example  of  him  and  his  apostles,  to  with* 
draw  yourself  from  the  maUce  of  yours  and  God's  ene- 
mies, into  some  place  where  God  is  most  purely  served  ; 
which  is  no  slandering  of  the  truth,  but  a  preserving  of 
yourself  to  God,  and  the  truth,  and  to  the  society,  and 
comfort  of  Christ's  little  flock.  And  that  you  will  do,  do 
it  with  speed,  lest,  by  your  own  folly,  you  fall  into  the 
persecutor's  hands.  And  the  Lord  send  his  holy  spirit  to 
lead  and  guide  you  wheresoever  you  go ;  and  all  that  be 
godly  will  say,  Amen." 


The  Martyrdoms  of  Agnes  Pott  en  ^  and  Joan  Trunchfield ; 
who  were  both  burnt  together  at  Ipswich,  in  Suffolk, 

These  two  advocates  and  sufferers  for  the  pure  gospel 
of  Christ,  lived  in  the  town  of  Ipswich,  in  the  county  of 
Suffolk.  Being  both  apprehended  on  an  information  of 
heresy,  they  were  brought  before  the  bishop  of  Norwich  ; 
who  examined  them  concerning  their  religion  in  general, 
find  their  faith  in  the  corporeal  presence  of  Christ,  in  ^the 
sacrament  of  the  altar  in  particular. 

With  respect  to  the  latter  article,  they  both  delivered  it 
as  their  opinion,  that  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, there  w^as  represented  the  memorial  only  of  Christ's 
death  and  passion,  saying,  that,  according  to  the  scriptures, 
he  was  ascended  up  into  Heaven,  and  sat  at  the  right  hand 
of  God  the  Father  ;  and,  therefore,  his  body  could  not  be 
really  and  substantially  in  the  sacrament. 

A  few  days  after  this,  they  were  again  examined  by  the 
bishop,  when  both  of  them  still  continuing  steadfast  in  the 
profession  of  their  faith,  sentence  was  pronounced  a- 
gainst  them  as  heretics,  and  they  were  delivered  over  to 
the  secular  power. 

On  the  day  appointed  for  their  execution,  which  was  in 
the  month  called  March,  1556,  they  were  both  led  to  the 
tetake,  and  burnt  in  the  town  of  Ipswich.     Their  constant 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  389 

cy  was  admired  by  the  multitude  who  saw  them  suffer  ; 
for  as  they  undr^  ssed  and  prepai  ed  themselves  for  the  fire, 
they  earnestly  exhorted  the  people  to  believe  only  in  the 
unerring  word  of  the  only  living  and  true  God,  and  not  re- 
gard the  devices  and  inventions  of  men. 

They  both  openly  declared,  that  they  despised  the  errors 
and  superstitions  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  most  pa- 
tiently submitted  to  the  acute  torments  of  devouring  flames, 
calling  upon  the  God  of  their  salvation,  and  triumphing  in 
being  deemed  worthy  to  suffer  for  the  glorious  cause  of 
Jesus  Christ,  their  Lord  and  master. 


The  persecution  and  Martyrdoms  of  Richard  Spurge  Thom- 
as Spurge  John  Cavill,  and  Geoi'ge  Ambrose^  laymen;  and 
Robert  Drake^  and  William  Tims^  ministers. 

These  six  pious  christians  resided  in  the  county  of 
Essex,  and  diocess  of  London.  Being  accused  of  heresy, 
they  were  all  apprehended,  and  sent  by  lord  Rich,  and 
other  commissioners,  at  different  times,  to  bishop  Gardner, 
lord  Chancellor  of  England  ;  who,  after  a  short  examina- 
tion, sent  the  four  first  to  the  Marshalsea  prison  in  the  Bor- 
ough, and  the  two  last  to  the  king's  bench,  where  they  con- 
tinued during  the  space  of  a  whole  year,  till  the  death  of 
bishop  Gardner. 

When  Dr.  Heath,  archbishop  of  York,  succeeded  to 
the  chancellorship,  four  of  these  persecuted  brethren, 
namely,  Richard  and  Thomas  Spurg,  John  Cavill  and 
George  Ambrose,  weary  of  their  tedious  confinement,  pre- 
sented a  petition  to  the  lord  chancellor,  subscribing  their 
names,  and  requesting  his  interest  for  their  enlargement. 

A  short  time  after  the  delivery  of  this  petition,  sir  Rich- 
ard Read,  one  of  the  officers  of  ihe  court  of  chancery,  was 
sent  by  the  chancellor  to  the  Marshalsea  to  examine  them. 

Richard  Spurg,  the  first  who  passed  examination,  being 
asked  the  cause  of  his  imprisonment,  replied,  that  he,  with 
several  others,  being  complained  of,  by  the  minister  of 
Booking,  for  not  coming  to  their  parish  cliurch,   to  lord 


.390  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Rich,  was  thereupon  sent  up  to  London  by  his  lordship,  to 
be  examined  by  the  late  chancellor. 

He  acknowledged,  that  he  had  not  been  at  church  since 
the  English  service  was  changed  into  Latin  (except  on 
Christmas  day  was  twelve  months)  because  he  disliked  the 
same,  and  the  mass  also,  as  not  agreeable  to  God's  holy- 
word. 

He  then  desired,  that  he  might  be  no  farther  examined 
concerning  this  matter,  until  it  pleased  the  present  chan- 
cellor to  inquire  his  faith  concerning  the  same,  which  he 
was  ready  to  deliver. 

Thomas  Spurg,  on  his  examination,  answered  to  the 
same  efieet  with  the  other,  confessing  that  he  absented  him- 
.  self  from  church,  because  the  word  of  God  was  not  then 
truly  taught,  nor  the  sacraments  of  Christ  duly  adminis- 
tered, as  prescribed  by  the  same  word. 

Being  farther  examined,  touching  his  faith  in  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  altar,  he  said,  that,  if  he  stood  accused  in  that 
particular,  he  would  answer  as  God  had  given  him  knowl- 
edge, which  he  should  do  at  another  opportunity. 

John  Cavill,  likewise  agreed  in  the  chief  particulars  with 
his  brethren  ;  but  farther  said,  the  cause  of  his  absenting 
himselffrom  the  church  was,  that  the  minister  there  had 
advanced  two  doctrines,  contrary  to  each  other ;  for,  first, 
in  a  sermon  he  delivered  when  the  queen  came  to  the 
croAvn,  he  exhorted  the  people  to  believe  the  gospel,  de- 
claring it  to  be  the  truth  ;  and,  if  they  believed  it  not,  they 
would  be  damned;  and  that,  secondly,  in  a  future  dis-^ 
course,  he  declared  that  the  New  Testament  was  flilse  in 
forty  places,  which  contrariety  gave  him  much  disgust, 
and  was  among  other  things  the  cause  of  his  absenting  him- 
self from  church. 

George  Ambrose  answered  to  the  same  effect,  adding 
moreover,  that  after  he  had  read  the  late  bishop  of  Win- 
chester's book,  entitled,  De  Vera  Obediential  with  bishop 
Bonner's  preface  thereunto  annexed,  both  inveighing 
against  the  authority  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  he  esteemed 
their  principles  more  lightly  than  he  had  done  before. 

Robert  Drake  was  a  minister  of  Thundersly,  in  Essex, 
tt)  which  living,  he  had    been  presented  V/    lord  Ricli,  in 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  39! 

the  reign  of  Edward  VI,  when  he  w:is  ordamed  priest  by 
Dr.  Ridley,  then  bishop  of  London,  accorduig  to  the  re- 
fornied  EngUsh  service  for  ordination. 

On  the  accession  of  queen  Mary  to  the  throne  of  Eng- 
land, he  was  sent  for  by  Gardner,  bishop  of  Winchester, 
who  demanded  of  him,  whether  he  would  conform,  like  a 
good  subject,  to  the  laws  of  the  realm  then  in  force.  He 
answered,  that  he  would  abide  by  those  laws  that  were 
agreeable  to  the  law  of  God  ;  upon  which,  he  w^as  immedi- 
ately committed  to  prison. 

William  Tims  was  a  deacon  and  curate  of  Hockley,  in 
Essex,  in  the  reign  of  Edward  VI,  but  being  dc})rived  of 
his  living,  soon  after  the  death  of  that  monarch,  he  abscond- 
ed, iind  privately  preached  in  a  neighbouring  wood, 
whither  many  of  his  fiock  attended  to  hear  the  word  of 
God. 

In  consequence  of  these  proceedings,  he  was  apprehend- 
ed by  one  of  the  constables,  and  sent  up  to  the  bishop  of 
London,  by  whom  he  was  referred  to  Gardner,  bishop  of 
Winchester,  and  lord-ckmccllor,  who  committed  him  to 
the  king's  Bench  prison. 

A  short  time  after  his  confinement,  he  (with  the  others 
before  mentioned)  was  ordered  to  appear  before  the  bishop 
e)f  London,  who  questioned  them  in  the  usual  mimner,  con- 
ctrning  their  faith  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

Tims  answered,  that  the  body  of  Christ  was  not  hi  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar,  really  and  corporeall}^,  after  the 
Avords  of  consecration  spoken  by  the  priest ;  and  that  he 
had  been  a  long  time  of  that  opinion,  ever  since  it  had 
pleased  God,  of  his  infinite  mercy,  tc^  call  him  to  the  true 
knowledge  of  the  gospel  of  his  grace. 

On  the  28th  of  the  month  called  March,  1556,  these  six 
persons  were  all  brought  into  the  consistory -court,  in  St. 
Paul's  church,  before  the  bisliop  of  London,  in  order  to  be 
examined,  for  the  last  time;  who  assured  them,  that  if  they 
did  not  submit  to  the  church  of  Rome,  they  should  be  con- 
demned for  heresy. 

The  bishop  began  his  examination  with  Tims,  whom 
he  called  the  ringleader  of  the  others.  He  told  him,  that 
he  had  taught  th«m  heresies,  confirmed  them  in  their  crro- 


39f  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS, 

neous  opinions,  and  endeavoured,  as  far  as  in  him  lay,  to 
render  them  as  abominable  as  himself;  with  many  other 
accusations  equally  false  and  opprobrious. 

He  was  then  asked  by  the  bishop,  what  he  had  to  say 
in  his  own  vindication,  in  order  to  prevent  him  from  pro- 
ceeding against  him  as  his  ordinary.  To  which,  he  replied 
as  follows : 

"  My  lord,  I  am  astonished,  that  you  should  begin  your 
charge  with  a  falsehood  ;  you  aver,  that  I  am  the  ringlead- 
er of  the  company  now  brought  before  you,  and  have 
taught  them  principles  contrary  to  the  Romish  church, 
since  we  have  been  in  confinement ;  but  the  injustice  of  this 
declaration  will  soon  appear,  if  you  will  inquire  of  these  my 
brethren,  whether,  when  at  liberty,  and  out  of  prison,  they 
dissented  not  from  popish  principles  as  much  as  they  do  at 
present  ;  such  inquiry,  I  presume,  will  render  it  evident, 
that  they  learned  not  their  religion  in  prison. 

"  For  my  own  part,  I  declare,  I  never  knew  them,  till 
such  time  as  I  became  their  fellow- prisoner  :  how  then 
could  I  be  their  ring-leader  and  teacher  ?  With  respect 
to  the  charge  alleged  against  me,  a  charge  which  you  en- 
deavour to  aggravate  to  the  highest  degree,  whatever  opin- 
ion you  maintain  concerning  me,  I  am  well  assured,  Ihold 
no  other  religion  than  what  Christ  preached,  the  apostles 
witnessed,  the  primitive  church  received,  and  of  Lite  the 
apostolical  and  evangelical  preachers  of  this  realm  have 
faithfully  taught,  and  for  which  you  have  cruelly  caused 
them  to  be  burnt,  and  now  seek  to  treat  us  with  the  like 
inhuman  severity.  I  acknowledge  you  to  be  my  ordina- 
ry." 

The  bishop,  finding  it  necessary  to  come  to  a  point  with 
him,  demanded,  if  he  would  submit  himself  to  the  holy 
mother-church,  promising,  that  if  he  did,  he  should  be 
kindly  received  ;  and  threatening,  at  the  same  time,  that  if 
he  did  not,  judgment  should  be  pronounced  against  him 
as  a  heretic. 

In  answer  to  this,  Tims  told  his  lordship,  he  was  well 
l^ersuaded,  that  he  was  within  the  pale  of  the  c stholic 
church,  whatever  he  might  think  ;  and  reminded  him,  that 
he  had  most  solemnly  abjured  that  very  church  to  which 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    TAPISTSb  39;5 

lie  Since  professed  such  strenuous  allegiance  ;  and  thatp 
contrary  to  his  oath,  he  again  admitted,  in  this  realm,  the 
authority  of  the  pope,  and  was,  therefore,  perjured  and 
and  forsworn  in  the  highest  degree.  He  also  recalled  to 
his  memory,  that  he  had  spoken  with  great  force  and  per- 
spicuity against  the  usurped  power  of  the  pope,  though  he 
afterwards  sentenced  persons  to  be  burnt,  because  they 
would  not  acknowledge  the  pope  to  be  the  supreme  head 
of  the  church. 

To  this,  Bonner  sternly  demanded,  what  he  had  written 
against  the  church  of  Rome  ? 

Tims  pertinently  answeredj  "  my  lord,  the  late  bishop 
of  Winchester,  wrote  a  very  learned  treatise,  entitled,  De 
vera  Obediential  which  contains  many  solid  arguments 
against  the  papal  supremacy  :  to  this  book,  you  wrote  a 
preface,  strongly  inveighing  against  the  bishop  of  Rome, 
reproving  his  tyranny  and  usurpation,  and  shewing  that 
his  power  was  ill-founded,  and  contrary  both  to  the  will  of 
God,  and  the  real  interest  of  mankind." 

The  bishop,  struck  with  the  poignancy  of  this  reproof, 
evasively  told  him,  that  the  bishop  of  Winchester  wrote  a 
book  against  the  supremacy  of  the  pope's  holiness,  and  he 
WTote  a  preface  to  the  same  book,  tending  to  the  same 
purpose  :  but  that  the  cause  of  the  same  arose  not  from 
their  disregard  to  his  holiness,  but  because  it  was  then 
deemed  treason  by  the  laws  of  the  realm  to  mamtain  the 
pope's  authoiity  in  England. 

He  also  observed,  that  at  such  time,  it  was  dangerous 
to  profess  to  favour  the  church  of  Rome,  and,  therefore,  feai; 
compelled  them  to  comply  with  the  prevailing  opinions  of 
the  times  :  for  if  any  person  had  conscientiously  acknowl- 
edged the  pope's  authority  in  those  days,  he  would  have 
been  put  to  death  :  but  that  since  the  queen's  happy  ac- 
cession to  the  throne,  they  might  boklly  speak  the  dictates 
of  their  consciences  ;  and  farther  reminded  him,  that  as  my 
lord  of  ^Vinchester  was  not  ashamed  to  recant  his  errors 
at  St.  Paul's  cross,  and  that  he  himself  had  done  the  same, 
every  inferior  clei'gyman  should  follow  the  exam])le  '^nv« 
superiors, 

3f 


594  TERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Tims,  Still  persisting  in  the  vindication  of  his  own  con- 
duct, and  reprehension  of  that  of  the  bishop,  again  replied, 
"  my  lord,  that  which  you  have  written  against  the  supre- 
macy of  the  pope  may  be  well  proved  from  scripture  to  be 
true  ;  that  w  hich  you  now  do  is  contrary  to  the  word  of 
God,  as  I  can  sufficiently  prove.'* 

Bonner,  after  much  further  conversation,  proceeded  to 
form  of  law,  causing  his  articles,  with  the  respective  an- 
swers to  each,  to  be  publicly  read  in  court. 

Tims  acknowledged  only  two  sacraments.  Baptism  and 
the  Lord's  Supper ;  commended  the  bishop  of  Winches- 
ter's book,  Devera  O^^e'^/V/z^f^,  and  the  bishop  of  London's 
preface  to  the  same.  He  declared,  that  the  mass  w^as  blas- 
phemy of  Christ's  passion  and  death  ;  that  Christ  is  not 
corporeally  but  spiritually  present  in  the  sacrament,  and 
that  as  they  used  it,  it  was  an  abominable  idol. 

Bonner  exhorted  him  to  revoke  his  errors  and  heresies, 
conform  to  the  church  of  Rome,  and  not  abide  so  strenu- 
ously by  the  literal  sense  of  the  scripture,  but  use  the  inter, 
pretation  of  the  fathers. 

Our  martyr  frankly  declared,  he  would  not  conform 
thereunto,  notwithstanding  the  execrations  denounced 
against  him  by  the  church  of  Rome,  and  demanded  of  the 
bishop  what  he  had  to  support  the  doctrine  of  the  real  pre- 
sence of  Christ  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  but  the  bare 
letter  of  scripture  ? 

On  the  bishop's  replying,  the  authority  of  the  holy  cath- 
olic church,  Tims  informed  him,  that  he  had  the  popish 
church,  for  which  he  was  perjured  and  forsworn,  declaring 
that  the  see  of  Rome  w^as  the  see  of  antichrist,  and,  there- 
fore, he  would  never  consent  to  yield  obedience  to  the 
same. 

The  bishop,  finding  Tims  so  inflexible  in  his  adherence 
to  the  faith,  professed  that  every  attempt  to  draw  him  from 
it  w^as  vain  and  fruitless,  read  his  definitive  sentence, 
and  he  was  delivered  over  to  the  secular  power. 

Bonner  then  used  the  same  measures  with  Drake  as  he 
had  done  with  Tims  ;  but  Drake  frankly  declared,  that  he 
denied  the  church  of  Rome,  with  all  the  works  thereof,  even 
as  he  denied  the  devil,  and  all  his  vvorksfi  '(^    / 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  395 

The  bishop,  perceiving  all  his  exhortations  fruitless, 
pronounced  sentence  of  condemnation  and  he  was  im- 
mediately delivered  into  the  custody  of  the  s!k  riffs. 

After  this,  Thomas  and  Richard  Spurg,  George  Am- 
brose, and  John  Cavill,  were  several!}^  asked,  if  they 
would  forsake  their  heresies,  and  return  to  the  catholic 
church.  They  all  refused  consenting  to  the  church  of 
Rome  ;  but  said,  they  were  willing  to  adhere  to  the  true 
catholic  church,  and  continue  in  the  same. 

Bonner  then  read  their  several  definitive  sentences, 
after  which,  he  committed  them  to  the  custody  of  the 
sheriffs  of  London,  by  whom  they  were  conducted  to 
Newgate. 

On  the  14th  of  the  month  called  April,  1556,  the  day 
appointed  for  the  execution,  they  were  led  to  Smith- 
field,  where  they  were  all  chained  to  the  same  stake, 
and  burnt  in  one  fire,  patiently  submitting  themselves  to 
the  flames,  and  resigning  their  souls  into  the  hands  of 
that  glorious  Redeemer,  for  whose  sake,  they  delivered 
their  bodies  to  be  burned. 

Tims,  during  his  imprisonment,  wrote  a  great  number 
of  letters  and  epistles  to  his  friends  and  brethren  in  the 
cause  of  Christ ;  among  which,  we  shall  preserve  the  fol- 
lowing : 


A  letter  Jr 0771  JFUliatTi  Ti77is,  to  his  frmids  in  Hockley^ 

"  The  grace  of  God  the  Father,  through  the  merits  of 
his  dear  Son  J-esus,  our  Lord  and  only  Saviour,  with  the 
continual  aid  of  his  holy  and  misfhty  spirit,  to  the  per- 
formance of  his  will,  to  our  everlasting  comfort  be  with 
you,  my  dear  brethren,  both  now  and  evermore.    Amen. 

"  My  dearly  beloved,  I  beseech  God  to  reward  the. 
great  goodness  that  you  have  shewed  unto  me,  seven- 
fold into  your  bosoms  ;  and  as  you  have  always  had  a 
most  godly  love  unto  this  word,  even  so  I  beseech  him 
to  give  you  grace  to  love  your  own  souls,  and  then.  I 
trust,  you  will  flee  from  all  those  things  that  should  dis- 
please  our  ^0L;!>.4Uid  merciful  God,  and  hate,  and  abhor 


396  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

all  the  company  of  those  that  would  lave  you  to  worship 
God,  any  otherwise  than  is  contained  in  his  holy  word. 
And  beware  of  those  masters  of  idolatry,  that  is,  these 
papistical  priests.  My  dear  brethren,  for  the  tender  mer- 
cy of  God,  remember  well  what  I  have  said  unto  you, 
and  also  written,  whiph  1  am  now  ready  to  seal  with  my 
blood.  I  praise  God  that  ever  I  lived  to  see  the  day, 
and  blessed  be  my  good  and  merciful  God,  that  ever  he 
gave  me  a  body  to  glorify  his  name.  And^  dear  hearts, 
I  do  now  write  unto  you  for  none  other  cause,  but  to  put 
you  in  remembrance  that  1  have  not  forgotten  you,  to  the 
end  that  I  would  not  have  you  forget  me,  but  to  remem'- 
ber  iveil  what  I  have  simply,  by  word  of  mouth,  and  writ- 
ino-,  taught  you.  Which,  although  it  were  not  simply 
done,  yet  truly,  as  your  own  conscience  beareth  me  record; 
and,  ti  erefore,  in  any  case  take  good  heed,  that  you  do 
not  that  thing  which  your  own  conscience  doth  condemn. 
Therefore /come  out  of  Sodom,  and  goto  heaven- ward, 
\vkh  the  servants  and  martvrs  of  God,  lest  you  be  parta- 
kers of  die  vengeance  of  God  ti-at  is  commg  upon  this 
wicked  nation,  from  which  the  Lord  God  defend  you, 
and  send  us  a  joyful  meeting  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  : 
unto  which,  God  bring  you  all,  Amen.  Thus  now,  I 
take  my  leave  of  you  for  ever  in  this  world,  except  I  b« 
burned  amongst  you,  which  thing  is  uncertain  unto  me 
as  yet. 

By  me. 

Your  poorest  and  most 

Unworthy  brother  in  Christ, 

W.   Tims.'' 
Nexvgate^  Jpril  12, 


The  examinations  and  MarUjrdoms  of  Joan  Beach^  wid- 
ow^   of  Tiirnbriclge  ;  and  John  Harpole,  of  the  city  of 
Rochester, 

Ine-qrmation  being  laid  against  these  two  persons  for 
heresy,  they  were  apprehended,  and,  by  the  magistrates 
of  the  respective  places  where  they  livt^4  committed  to 


\ 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  397 

prison.  After  being  some  time  in  confinement,  they 
were  separately  examined  before  Maurice,  bishop  of 
Rochester,  their  diocessian. 

Joan  Beach  was  first  taken  before  the  bishop  for  ex- 
amination, when  the  following  articles  were  exhibited  a- 
gainst  her : 

i.  That  living  in  the  parish  of  Tunbridge,  she  be- 
longed to  the  diocess  of  Rochester. 

This  she  granted. 

2.  That  all  pf  ople  who  preach,  teach,  believe,  or  say 
otherwise,  or  contrary  to  their  mother,  the  holy  catholic 
churc'.j,  are  excommunicated  persons  and  heretics. 

This  she  acknowledged  to  be  true,  but  added  withal, 
that  nevertheless,  she  believed  not  the  holy  catholic  church 
to  be  her  mother,  but  believed  only  the  Father  of  Heaven, 
to  be  her  Father. 

3.  That  she  had  affirmed,  and  did  affirm,  maintain,  and 
believe,  contrary  to  the  said  mother  church  of  Christ, 
that  in  the  blessed  sacrament  of  the  altar,  under  form  of 
bread  and  wine,  there  are  not  the  very  body  and  blood  of 
our  Saviour  Christ  in  substance,  but  only  a  token  and 
memorial  thereof ;  and  that  the  very  body  and  blood  of 
Christ  are  in  Heaven,  and  not  in  the  sacrament. 

4.  That  Christ  being  in  Heaven,  could  not  be  in  the 
sacrament. 

To  this,  she  answered,  that  she  had,  and  did  verily  be- 
lieve, hold,  and  affirm,  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  un^ 
der  the  forms  of  bread  and  wine,  there  were  not  the  ve- 
ry blood  of  our  Saviour  in  substance,  but  only  a  token 
and  remembrance  of  his  death  to  the  faithful  receiver, 
and  that  his  body  and  substance  are  only  in  Heaven,  and 
not  in  the  sacrament. 

5.  That  she  had  been,  and  then  was,  among  the  par- 
ishioners of  Tunbridge,  noted  and  strongly  suspected  of 
being  a  sacramentary  and  an  heretic. 

To  this,  she  answered,  that  she  did  not  know  how  she 
had  been,  or  was  reputed  amongst  the  parishi(jners  of 
Tunbridge,  nor  was  their  opinion  of  any  avail  to  her  im- 
mortal state. 


398  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  bishop  finding  her  inflexible  in  the  faith  she  pro- 
fessed, strongly  urged  her  to  preserve  her  life  by  re- 
nouncing her  errors  ;  which  she  peremptorily  refusing, 
he  pronounced  sentence  on  her,  and  she  was  delivered  o- 
ver  to  the  secular  power. 

John  Harpole,  being  next  examined  before  the  same 
bishop,  articles  of  a  similar  nature  were  exhibited  a- 
gainst  him,  as  his  fvllovv^  sufferer,  Joan  Beach. 

His  answers  to  ail  of  them  were  much  to  the  same  im- 
port vj'nh  hers  :  upon  which,  the  bishop  pronounced  sen- 
tence of  death  on  him  in  the  usual  form. 

These  two  faithful  followers  of  Christ,  were  burnt  to- 
gether in  one  fire,  in  the  city  of  Rochester,  about  the  lat- 
ter end  of  the  month  called  April,  1556.  They  embra- 
ced each  other  at  the  stake,  and  cheerfully  resigned  their 
souls  into  the  hands  of  their  Redeemer  ;  after  repeated- 
ly singing  hallelujahs  to  the  praise  and  glory  of  his  name. 


The  persecution  and  sufferings  of  Christopher  Lister^ 
John  MacCy  John  Spencer^  Simon  Joyn^  Richard  Nich- 
olsy  and  John  Hamniond  ;  -who  were  all  burnt  together 
at  Colchester,  in  Essex,  for  professing  the  truth  of  the 
gospel. 

These  six  persons  being  all  apprehended  on  a  charge 
of  heresy,  were  brought  before  bishop  Bonner,  at  his 
palace,  at  Fulham  ;  where  articles  were  exhibited  against 
them  of  the  same  nature,  and  in  the  usual  form,  as  those 
against  others  on  the  like  occasion. 

1.  To  the  first  article,  namely,  that  there  was  one  holy 
catholic  church  on  earth,  in  which  the  religion  and  faith 
of  Christ  are  truly  professed,  they  all  consented  and  a- 
greed  ;  but  John  Spencer  added,  that  the  church  of  Rome 
was  no  part  of  Christ's  catholic  church. 

2.  To  the  second,  concerning  the  seven  sacraments, 
they  answered,  that  in  the  true  catholic  church  of  Christ, 
there  are  but  two  sacraments,  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper. 


PERSECUTED  BY  THE  PAPISTS,        399^ 

3.  To  the  third,  they  unanimously  agreed  and  confess- 
ed, they  were  baptized  in  the  faith  and  belief  of  the  cath- 
olic church,  and  that  their  godfliihers  and  godmothers 
had  promised  and  professsed  for  them,  as  contained  in 
the  article  administered. 

4.  To  the  fourth  article,  concerning  their  continuance 
in  the  faith  and  profession  in  which  they  were  baptized, 
they  agreed,  that  the}  did  so  continue  ;  Nichols  observ- 
ed, that  he  had  more  plainly  learned  the  truth  of  his  pro- 
fession by  the  doctrine  set  forth  in  the  days  of  king  Ed- 
ward VI,  that  thereupon  he  had  huilt  his  faith,  and  would 
continue  the  same,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  his  life's 
end. 

5.  Concerning  swerving  from  the  catholic  faith,  they 
declared,  that  they  had  not  swerved,  nor  departed  in  the 
least  from  the  faith  of  Christ. 

They  unanimously  confessed,  that  they  had  disapprov- 
ed of,  and  spoken  against  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  and 
the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  affirming,  that  they  would  not 
come  to  hear,  nor  be  partakers  thereof ;  that  they  had  be- 
lieved, and  then  did  be'ieve,  that  they  were  set  forth  and 
used  contrary  to  God's  word  and  glory. 

They  granted  also,  that  they  had  spoken  against  the 
usurped  authority  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  who  was  an 
oppressor  of  the  holy  church  of  Christ,  and  ought  not  to 
have  any  power  in  England. 

6.  Concerning  their  reconciliation  to  the  unity  of  the 
church  ;  they  said,  that  they  never  refused,  nor  did 
then  refuse  to  be  reconciled  to  the  unity  of  Christ's  cath- 
olic church  ;  but  declared,  they  had,  and  tiien  did,  and 
would  forever  hereafter,  refuse  to  come  to  the  church  of 
Rome,  or  to  acknowledge  the  authority  of  the  papal  see  ; 
but  did  utterly  abhor  the  same  for  rejecting  the  book  of 
God,  the  bible,  and  setting  up  the  mass,  with  other  ridic- 
ulous and  antichristian  ceremonies. 

7.  That  disapproving  the  mass  and  sacrament  'of  tlie 
altar,  they  had  refused  to  come  to  the  parish  church,  Sec. 

This  they  all  granted,  and  Simon  Joyn  added  moreo- 
ver, that  the  cause  wherefore  he  refused  to  be  partaker  of 
their  trumpery,  ivas,  because  the  commandments  of  God 


400  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

were  there  broken,  and  Christ's  ordinances  changed^ 
and  the  bishop  of  Rome's  ordinance  put  up  in  their 
stead. 

Christopher  Lister  affirmed,  that  in  the  sacrament  of 
the  altar,  there  is  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine,  as  well 
after  the  words  of  consecration  as  before,  and  that  there 
are  not  in  the  same,  the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ, 
really,  substantially,  and  spiritually,  by  faith  in  tne  faith- 
ful receiver,  and  that  the  mass  is  not  a  propitiatory  sac- 
rifice for  the  quick  and  dead,  but  mere  idolatry  and 
abomination. 

They  then  said,  that  they  were  sent  to  Colchester  pris- 
on, by  the  king  and  queen's  commissioners,  because 
they  would  not  come  to  their  parish  churches  :  that 
what  was  contained  in  the  premises  was  true ;  and  that 
they  belonged  to  the  diocess  of  London. 

On  the  close  of  this  examination,  the  bishop  dismissed 
them,  but  ordered  them  to  attend  again  in  the  afternoon.^ 
This  order  they  obeyed,  when  the  articles  and  answers 
of  the  first  examination  were  read  to  them  ;  and  they  res- 
olutely persisted  in  the  profession  they  had  made. 

After  various  endeavous  to  bring  them  to  recant,  with- 
out the  least  effect,  sentence  of  death  was  pronounced  a- 
gainst  them,  and  they  were  all  delivered  over  to  the  sec= 
ular  power. 

The  writ  for  their  execution  being  made  out,  they 
were  removed  to  Colchester,  where,  on  the  28th  of  the 
month  called  April,  1556,  they  were  fastened  to  two 
stakes,  and  burnt  in  one  fire.  They  all  cheerfully  met 
their  fate,  giving  glory  to  God  in  the  midst  of  the  flames, 
and  encouraging  others,  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  to 
follow  their  example* 


The  Martyrdoms  of  Hugh   Laverock^  an  old    decrepit 
man  ;  and  John  Apprice^  a  blind  man. 

The  former  of  these  martyrs  Vv/as  by  trade  a  painter,^ 
and  lived  in  the  parish  of  Barking,  in  Essex.  At  the 
time  of  his  apprehension,  Iiq  was  in  the  *68th  year  of  his 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  401 

age,  and  very  helpless  from  the  natural  infirniities  of  lifco 
Being,  however,  accused  of  heresy  by  some  of  the  popish 
emissaries  in  his  neighbourhood,  he,  with  his  fellow- 
sufferer,  was  taken  before  Bonner,  to  be  examined  with 
respect  to  their  faith. 

The  bishop  laid  before  them  the  same  articles  as  men- 
tioned in  the  former  lives  ;  and  they  returned  answers  to 
the  same  effect  with  other  advocates  for  the  truth  of  the 
gospel. 

On  the  9th  of  the  month  called  May,  1556,  they  wer^ 
both  brought  into  the  consistory-court  at  St.  Paul's^ 
where  their  articles  and  answers  were  publicly  read  ; 
after  which,  the  bishop  endeavoured  to  persuade  them  to 
recant  their  opinions  concerning  the  sacrament  of  the 
altar. 

Hugh  Laverock  declared,  that  by  the  grace  of  God, 
he  would  stand  to  the  profession  he  had  already  made, 
for  he  could  not  find  the  least  authority  in  the  word  of 
God,  for  approving  the  doctrine  of  the  corporeal  presence 
in  the  sacrament. 

The  bishop  then  addressed  himself  to  John  AppricCj 
and  demanded  what  he  had  to  say  in  his  defence  ?  The 
honest  blind  man  answered  the  haughty  prelate^  that  the 
doctrine  he  set  forth  and  taught  was  so  conformable  to  the 
world,  that  it  could  not  be  agreeable  to  the  scriptures  of 
God  ;  and  that  he  was  no  member  of  the  catholic  church 
of  Christ,  seeing  he  made  laws  to  kill  men,  and  made 
the  queen  his  executioner. 

The  first  examination  being  over,  they  were,  for  the 
present,  dismissed,  but  ordered  to  appear  the  next  day 
at  the  bishop's  palace,  at  Fulham.  Being  accordingly 
conducted  there,  the  bishop,  after  some  discourse  with 
them.,  and  finding  them  steadfast  in  their  faith,  pro- 
nounced the  definitive  sentence  ;  when,  being  delivero 
ed  over  to  the  secular  power,  they  were  committed  to 
Newgate. 

On  the  15th  of  the  month  called  May,  they  were 
conveyed  to  Stratford- le-bow,  the  place  appointed  for 
tl^eir  execution- 


402  PiSRSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

As  soon  as  they  arrived  at  the  stake,  Laverock  threw 
away  his  crutch,  and  thus  addressed  his  fellow- sufferer  : 

"  John  Apprice,  be  of  good  comfort,  brother  ;  for 
mvlord  of  London  is  our  good  physician  ;  he  will  cure 
lis  both  shortly,  thee  of  thy  blindness,  and  me  of  my 
lameness." 

These  two  steadfast  believers  in  Christ  were  both 
chained  to  one  stake.  They  endured  their  sufferings 
with  great  fortitude,  and  cheerfully  yielded  up  their 
lives,  in  testimony  of  the  truth  of  their  blessed  Re- 
deemer. 


The  sufferings   and  Martyrdoms   of  Catharine    Hutt^ 
Joan  Hornes^  and  Elizabeth  ThackvilL 

These  three  pious  women  being  apprehended  on 
suspicion  of  heresy,  were  carried  before  sir  John  Mor- 
daunt  and  Edmund'  Tyrrel,  Esqrs.  justices  of  the  peace 
for  the  county  of  Essex,  who  sent  them  prisoners  to 
the  bishop  of  London,  for  not  conforming  to  the  order  of 
the  church,  and  not  believing  the  real  presence  of  Christ's 
body  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

Being  brought  before  the  bishop,  he  exhibited  to  them 
the  articles  usual  on  the  occasion ;  to  v/hich,  they  an- 
swered as  follows  : 

To  the  first,  concerning  their  belief,  that  there  was  a 
Catholic  church  of  Christ  upon  earth,  they  all  assented. 

To  the  second,  relating  to  the  seven  sacraments,  they 
said,  they  did  not.  under  stand  properly  what  they  were. 

To  the  third,  concerning  their  baptism,  they  replied, 
they  believed  they  were  baptized,  but   knew  not  what^g^ 
their  godfathers  and  godmothers  promised  for  them.        f 

To  the  fourth,  about  their  continuance  in  the  same 
faith,  into  which  they  were  baptized,  until  they  arrived  at 
the  age  of  fourteen  years,  or  the  age  of  discretion, 
without  disapproving  of  the  same  ;  they  granted  it  to  be 
true. 

To  this  article,  Catharine  Hutt  observed,  that  at  that 
time,  she  did  not  understand  what  she  professed. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  403 

Joan  Homes  added,  diat  in  the  days  of  king  Edward 
VI,  she  learned  die  faith  that  was  then  set  forth,  and  still 
continued  in  the  same ;  and  would,  with  God's  assistance, 
continue  the  remainder  of  her  life. 

To  the  fifth  article,  concerni  g  the  mass,  and  the  sac- 
rament of  the  altar,  they  said,  they  could  discern  no  ex- 
cellence in  the  mass,  nor  could  they  believe  but  that 
Christ's  natural  body  was  in  Heaven,  and  not  in  the  sac- 
rament of  the  altar. 

Concerning  the  see  of  Rome,  they  acknowledged  no 
supremacy  in  the  same,  nor  would  they  adhere  to  it. 

To  the  sixth  article,  on  their  reconciliation  to  the 
church  of  Rome,  they  refused  to  be  reconciled  to  the 
same. 

The  seventh,  on  their  disapproving  the  service  of  the 
church,  and  not  frequenting  their  parish  church,  they  ac- 
knowledged to  be  true. 

Catharine  Hutt  alleged,  as  the  cause  of  her  absenting 
herself  from  church,  that  she  neither  approved  the  ser- 
vice in  Latin,  the  mass,  mattins,  or  even  song  ;  nor  were 
the  sacraments  used  and  administered  according  to  God's 
V  ord.  She  declared  moreover,  that  mass  was  an  idol, 
neither  were  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  altar,  as  they  compelled  persons  to  believe. 

To  the  eighth  article,  they  declared,  that  they  were  all 
sent  up  to  the  bishop  of  London,  by  sir  John  Mordaunt 
and  Edmund  Tyrrel,  Esqj(;.s.  justices  of  the  peace  for  the 
county  of  Essex,  because  they  could  not  believe  the 
presence  of  Christ's  body  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar, 
and  for  absenting  diemselves  from  their  parish  church. 

To  the  ninth  article',  that  they  were  of  the  diocess  of 
London,  they  all  assented,  except  Catherine  Hutt,  who 
said,  she  was  of  the  parish  of  Bocking,  in  Essex,  which 
is  of  the  particular  jurisdiction  of  Canterbury,  and  not 
under  that  of  the  diocess  of  London. 

On  the  13th  of  the  month  called  April,  they  were  a- 
gain  brought  before  the  bishop  :  and  the  respective  arti- 
cles, with  their  answers,  publicly  read  in  court,  in  order 
to  their  final  judgment. 


404  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTSr'- 

Catharine  Hutt,  being  first  examined,  was  required  to 
declare  her  opinion  of  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  and  to 
return  to  the  catholic  faith.  To  this,  she  replied,  that 
the  sacrament  as  enforced  by  the  papists,  was  not  truly 
God,  but  a  dumb  god  made  with  men's  hands ;  upon 
which,  she  received  sentence  of  death. 

Joan  Homes  was  next  examined,  and  being  charged, 
that  she  did  not  believe  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body 
and  blood,  to  be  Christ  himself,  said,  if  you  can  make 
your  god  shed  blood,  or  shew  any  sign  of  a  true,  living 
body,  then  will  I  believe  you :  but  it  is  bread  as  to  the 
substance,  and  that  which  you  call  heresy  is  the  manner 
in  wl  ich  I  trust  to  serve  my  God  to  the  end  of  my  life. 

Concerning  the  bishop  and  see  of  Rome,  I  detest  them 
as  abominations,  and  desire  ever  to  be  delivered  from 
the  same. 

In  consequence  of  these  answers,  sentence  of  condem- 
nation was  immediately  pronounced  on  her. 

Elizabeth  Thackvill  continuing  steadfast  in  her  form- 
er confessions,  and  refusing  to  recant,  shared  the  same 
fate  with  the  other  two  ;  when  they  were  all  delivered 
over  to  the  secular  power,  and  committed  to  Newgate. 

On  the  16tr  of  the  month  called  May,  the  day  appoint- 
ed for  their  execution,  they  were  conducted  to  Smith- 
field,  where  being  all  fastened  to  one  stake,  and  the  fag- 
ots lighted,  their  bodies  were  soon  consumed,  after  they 
had  recommended  their  spirits  into  the  hands  of  that 
God,  for  the  truth  of  whose  word,  they  joyfully  suffered 
death,  in  hopes  of  obtaining  life  everlasting. 

On  the  same  day  these  three  were  executed  in  Smith- 
field,  two  others  suiFered  at  Gloucester,  namely,  Thom- 
as Drowry,  a  blind  boy  ;  and  Thomas  Croker,  a  brick- 
Jay  er. 

They  both  submitted  to  their  fate  with  great  fortitude 
^nd  resignation,  cheerfully  yielding  up  their  souls  to  him 
^ho  gave  them, 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  405 

The  examinations  and  sufferings  of  Thomas  Spicer^  John 
Denny ^  and  Edmund  Poole,  all  of  the  county  of  Suffolk. 

These  three  persons  were  apprehended  by  the  justices 
of  the  county  m  which  they  lived,  and  committed  to 
prison,  for  not  attending  mass  at  their  parish  church. 

After  being  sometime  in  confinement,  they  were 
brought  before  the  chancellor  of  Norwich,  and  the  regis- 
ter, who  sat  at  the  town  of  Becclcs,  to  examine  them 
with  respect  to  their  faith.  The  articles  alleged  against 
them  were  as  follows  : 

1.  That  they  believed  not  the  pope  of  Rome  to  be  the 
supreme  head  immediately  under  Christ,  of  the  universal 
catholic  church. 

2.  That  they  believed  not  holy  bread  and  holy  water, 
ashes,  palms,  and  other  like  ceremonies,  used  in  the 
church  to  be  good  and  laudable  for  stirring  up  the  peo- 
ple to  devotion.  * 

3.  That  they  believed  not  after  the  words  of  conse- 
cration spoken  by  the  priest,  the  very  natural  body  of 
Christ,  and  no  other  substance  of  bread  and  wine,  to  be 
in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

4.  That  they  believed  it  to  be  idolatry  to  worship 
Christ  in  the  sacrament  of  tl>e  altar. 

5.  That  they  took  bread  and  vv  ine  in  remembrance  of 
Christ's  passion. 

6.  That  they  would  not  follow  the  cross  in  procession, 
nor  be  confessed  to  a  priest. 

They  all  acknowledged  the  justness  of  these  articles,  in 
consequence  of  which,  they  were  condemned  by  the 
chancellor,  who  first  endeavoured  to  reclaim  them  from 
their  opinions,  and  bring  them  over  to  the  church  of 
Rome  ;  but  all  his  admonitions  and  exhortations  proving 
ineffectual,  he  pronounced  sentence  on  them,  and  they 
were  immediately  delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  high- 
sheriff  for  the  county  of  Suffolk. 

On  the  21st  of  the  month  called  May,  155G,  these 
three  pious  christians  were  led  to  the  stake  in  the  town 
of  Beccles,  amidst,  a  great  number  of  lamenting  specta- 
tors.    As  soon  as  they  arrived  at  the  place  of  execution. 


406  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

they  devoutly  prayed,  and  repeated  the  articles  of  their 
faith.  When  they  came  to  that  article  concerning  the 
holy  catholic  church,  sir  John  Sillard,  the  high-sheriff, 
thus  addressed  them  :  "  that  is  well  said,  sirs ;  I  am 
glad  to  hear  you  say,  you  believe  the  catholic  church ; 
this  is  the  best  expression  I  ever  heard  from  you  yet." 

To  this,  Pool  answered,  that  though  they  believed  the 
catholic  church,  yet  they  believed  not  in  their  popish 
church,  which  is  no  part  of  Christ's  catholic  church, 
and,  therefore,  no  part  of  their  belief. 

When  they  arose  from  prayer,  they  went  joyfully  to 
the  stake,  and  being  chained  to  it,  and  the  fagots  lighted, 
they  piaised  God  with  such  cheerfulness  in  the  midst  of 
the  flames,  as  astonished  the  numerous  spectators. 

Soon  after  they  were  fastened  to  the  stake,  several  big- 
otted  papists  called  to  the  executioner  to  throw  fagots  at 
them,  in  order  to  stop  their  mouths  ;  but  our  martyrs 
disregai^ling  their  malice,  boldly  cofessed  the  truth  with 
their  latest  breath,  dying,  as  the}  had  lived,  in  certain 
hopes  of  a  resurrection  to  life  eternal. 


The  Martyrdoms  af  Thomas  Harland.,  John  Oswald^ 
Thomas  Abington^  and  Thomas  Ready  who  were  all 
burnt  together  at  Lewes ^  in  Sussex. 

The  popish  emissaries  having  laid  informations,  against 
these  four  persons,  they  were  all  apprehended  on  suspi- 
cion of  heresy,  and  immediately  sent  to  London,  to  be 
examined  by  Bonner,  bishop  of  that  diocess,  relative  to 
their  faith. 

Thomas  Harland  being  first  examined,  the  bishop  ob- 
jected to  his  conduct  in  not  attending  his  parish  church  : 
to  which,  he  ans\^ered,  that  since  the  mass  was  restor- 
ed, he  never  chose  to  hear  the  same,  because  it  was  in 
Latin,  which  lie  did  not  understand,  and,  therefore,  could 
not  reap  any  benefit  thereby. 

John  Oswald  refused  to  answer  any  objection,  till  his 
accusers  were  brought  face  to  face  before  him  ;  never- 
theless, he  declared,  that  he  was  not    to  be   awed  into 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  407 

any  concessions  by  fear  of  fire  and  fagot ;  but  as  the  faith- 
ful ministers  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  during  the  reign  of 
khig  Edward  VI,  had  suffered  and  gone  before  him,  he 
was  ready  to  suffer  and  follow  after  them,  and  would 
count  it  his  glory  and  honour  so  to  do. 

The  other  two,  Abington  and  Read,  said,  they  abjured 
all  popish  superstitions  and  errors,  and  that  they  would 
ever  hold  fast  to  the  faith,  as  it  was  the  pure  gospel  of 
Christ. 

The  bishop  finding  them  all  resolute,  and  that  they 
were  determined  to  adhere  to  their  religious  opinions,  af- 
ter endeavouring  to  prevail  on  them  to  recant,  passed 
sentence  of  condemnation  on  them,  and  they  were  imme- 
diately delivered  over  to  the  secular  power. 

After  a  long  confinement  in  the  king's  bench  prison, 
they  were  all  sent  down  to  Lewes,  in  Sussex,  where,  on 
the  16th  of  the  month  called  June,  1556,  they  were  burned 
together  in  one  fire,  praising  God  for  enabling  4hem  to 
bear,  with  fortitude,  the  punishment  allotted  them  for 
professing  the  truth  of  his  most  holy  word. 

On  the  20th  of  the  same  month,  two  others  suffered  at 
the  same  place,  namely,  Thomas  Wood,  minister ;  and 
Thomas  Mills. 

They  both  died  with  christian  fortitude,  rejoicing  and 
praising  God,  that  he  had  numbered  them  among  those 
who  freely  gave  up  their  miserable  existence  here,  for  the 
truth  of  the  gospel,  in  hopes  of  obtaining  an  everlasting  in- 
heritance in  the  heavenly  mansions. 


The  sufferings  and  Martyrdoms  of  Henry  Wie.  WilUatn 
Holly well^  Ralph  Jackson,  Laurence  Fern,  John  Deri- 
fall,  Thomas  Bowyer,  George  Sear  Is,  Lyon  Couch,  Hen- 
ry Adli7iton,  John  Routh,  Edmund  Hurst,  Elizabeth  Pep- 
er,and  Agnes  George,  7vho  were  all  burnt  together  at 
Stratford' le-bow^  near  London, 

These  tliirtecn  persons  were  apprehended  in  the  differ- 
ent places,  where  they  lived,  the  greater  part  of  them  be- 
ing inhabitants  of  the  county  of  Essex  ;  and  were  sent,  at 


408  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

various  times,  up  to  London,  to  be  examined  by  bishop 
Bonner,  concerning  thier  religious  principles. 

On  the  9th  of  the  month  called  June,  they  were  all 
brought  together  before  Dr.  Darbyshire,  the  bishops  chan- 
cellor, who,  in  form  of  law,  administered  to  them  the  fol- 
lowing articles  : 

1.  That  there  is  on  earth  a  catholic  church,  wherein 
the  religion  of  Christ  is  truly  professed. 

To  this,  they  all  answered  in  the  affirmative ;  but  added, 
that  they  iDelieved  the  true  faith  of  Christ  was,  wherever 
the  word  of  God  was  truly  preached. 

2.  That  there  were  seven  sacraments. 

They  all  answered  in  the  negative ;  some  affirmed, 
that  in  the  church  of  Christ,  there  were  only  two  sacra- 
ments, viz.  baptism,  and  the  Lord's  supper ;  others  de- 
sired to  believe  as  the  scriptures  taught  them ;  and  others 
refused  to  reply,  not  properly  understanding  these  points. 

3.  That  they  were  baptized  in  the  faith  of  the  catholic 
church,  professing,  by  their  godfathers,  &c.  the  religion  of 
Christ,  and  to  renounce  the  devil  and  all  his  works,  &c. 

To  this,  they  all  assented  without  exception. 

4.  That  when  they  came  to  years  of  discretion,  they  did 
not  depart  from  the  said  profession  and  faith,  and  did  not 
disapprove  any  part  thereof  for  several  years. 

The  greater  part  of  them  answered  in  the  affirmative. 
One  of  the  women  added,  that  in  the  days  of  king  Edward 
VI,  she  departed  from  her  old  faith  and  religion,  and 
embraced  the  gospel  of  Christ,  as  it  was  then  taught  and  set 
forth. 

5.  That  of  late,  they  had  swerved  from  their  former  cath- 
olic faith,  and  had  spoken  against  the  mass,  the  sacrament 
of  the  altar,  and  authority  of  the  papal  see. 

This,  upon  the  whole,  they  confessed  to  be  true. 

One  of  them  said,  the  mass  was  of  such  a  nature,  that  he 
could  not,  in  his  own  conscience,  believe  it  to  be  authorized 
from  God.  Another  observed,  that  for  nine  or  ten  years 
past,  he  could  not  approve  the  mass,  nor  the  sacrament  of 
the  altar,  because  they  could  not  be  proved  from  the  scrip- 
ture of  truth  ;  declaring,  at  the  same  time,  that  at  the  age 
offourteen,  hehadtaken  an  oath  against  the  authority  of 


IPERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  40S 

the  papal   see,   and  would,  by  the  grace  of  God,  abide 
firmly  by  the  same* 

6.  That  they  refused  to  be  reconciled  to  the  unity  of 
the  church,  or  to  confess  the  lawfulness  of  the  papal  see* 

To  this  article,  they  all,  except  two,  answered  in  the 
affirmative.  Those  who  refused,  said,  they  did  not  under- 
stand the  import  of  the  same.  The  two  women  added, 
they  refused  to  be  reconciled  to  the  faith  and  religion  that 
were  then  used  in  the  realm  of  England,  though  they  nev- 
er refused  to  be  reconciled  and  brought  to  the  unity  of  the 
Catholic  church  of  Christ. 

7.  That  disapproving  the  service  of  the  church,  they 
refused  to  come  to  their  parish  churches,  denied  the  bodi- 
ly presence  of  Christ  in  the  sacrament,  called  the  mass 
an  abomination,  &c. 

This  was  answered,  in  general,  in  the  affirmative  ;  but 
one  denied,  that  he  called  the  mass  an  abomination,  or  an 
idol  :  another,  though  he  granted  the  article,  confessed 
his  infirmity,  that  he  went  to  his  parish  church,  and  receiv- 
cd  it  befjre  he  was  put  into  prison* 

8.  This  article  related  to  their  being  brought  before 
the  commissioners,  and  by  them  sent  to  the  bishop  of 
London  ;  to  which,  they  answered  in  the  following  or- 
der; 

Edmund  Hurst,  Ralph  Jackson,  and  George  Searls,  an» 
swered  in  the  affirmative. 

Henry  Wie  said,  that  he  was  brought  before  several 
justices  of  tiiC  peace,  in  Essex,  concerning  one  Highted, 
his  late  master,  and  thereupon  committed  to  Coichcstei* 
castle,  and  from  thence,  sent  to  London,  to  the  bishop, 
for  farther  examination. 

William  Holly  well  made  the  like  confession,  excepting 
the  circumstance  of  Highted. 

John  Dcrifall  said,  he  was  called  before  lord  Rich, 
and  Midm.iy  of  Chelmsford ;  and  by  them  sent  to  the 
bishop  of  London  to  be  fartlier  examined. 

Thomas  Bouyer,  said,  he  was  brought  before  one 
Wiseman,  of  Falstead;  and  by  him  sent  to  Colchester  cas- 
tle; and  from  thence,  to  the  bishop  of  London,  to  be  fur- 
ther examined. 

3  G 


4lO  rERSEeuTEn  by  the   PAPisxsr 

Lyon  Couch  said,  that  he  was  three  times  brought  be^ 
fore  the  king  and  queen's  commissioners,  and  by  them 
sent  to  the  bishop  of  London. 

Henry  Adiinton  said,  that  coming  to  Newgate  to 
speak  with  one  Gratvvick,  prisoner  there  for  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  Christ,  he  was  apprehended  and  brought 
before  Dr.  Story,  and  by  him  sent  to  the  bishop  of  Lon- 
don. 

Agnes  George  said,  that  she  was  committed  to  prison 
in  Colchester  by  Maynard,  an  alderman  of  the  tovvn,  for 
refusing  to  go  to  church,  and  by  him  sent  to  the  bishop 
of  London. 

Elizabeth  Peper  said,  that  she  was  apprehended  by 
two  constables  and  an  alderman,  for  refusing  to  come  to 
church,  and  by  them  sent  to  the  bishop  of  London  to  be 
farther  examined. 

9.  That  they  believed  the  premises  to  be  true,  as  con- 
fessed above,  and  that  they  were  of  the  diocess  of  Lon- 
don. 

This  was  generally  agreed  to.  Elizabeth  Peper  added, 
she  was  of  the  town  of  Colchester  ;  and  Agnes  George 
Said,  she  was  of  the  parish  of  Barefold. 

These  thirteen  persons  being  thus  examined  by  the 
bishop  of  London's  chancellor,  in  open  court,  persisting 
in  their  answers,  and  refusing  to  recant,  or  be  reconciled 
to  the  church  of  Rome,  had  sentence  of  condemnation 
pronounced  against  them ;  and  being  delivered  over  to 
the  secular  power,  were  all  sent  to  Newgate. 

Three  others  were  also  condemned  to  die  at  the  same 
time  :  but,  before  the  day  appointed  for  their  execution, 
a  reprieve  was  sent  them  by  cardinal  Poole. 

Soon  after  the  condemnation  of  these  pious  christians, 
Dr.  Fecknam,  dean  of  St.  Paul's,  told  the  audience,  in 
his  sermon,  that  they  held  as  many  tenets  as  there  were 
faces  among  the  whole ;  which  being  represented  to  them, 
they  drew  up  the  following  confession  of  their  faith,  to 
which,  they  respectively  subscribed  their  names  : 

1.  *'  There  are  but  two  sacraments  in  Christ's  churchy 
that  is,  the  sacrament  of  Baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 
For,  in  these  is  contained  the  fliith  of  Christ's  ~  church  ; 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  4U 

that  is,  the  two  testaments,  the  law  and  the  gospel.  The 
effc  ct  of  the  law  is  repentance,  and  the  effect  of  the  gospel, 
remission  of  sins. 

2.  *'  We  believe  there  is  a  visible  church,  wherein  the 
word  of  God  is  preached,  and  the  holy  sacrament  truly- 
administered,  visible  to  the  world,  although  it  be  not 
credited,  and  by  the  death  of  saints  confirmed,  as  it  was 
in  the  time  of  Elias  the  prophet,  as  well  as  now. 

3.  *'  The  see  of  Rome  is  the  see  of  antichrist,  the  con- 
gregation of  the  wicked  &,c.  whereof  the  pope  is  head 
under  t!  e  devil. 

4.  "'  The  mass  is  not  only  a  profanation  of  the  Lord*s 
Supper,  but  also  a  blasphemous  idol. 

5.  *'  God  is  neither  spiritually  nor  corporeally  in  tlie 
sacrament  of  the  ahar,  and  there  remaineth  no  substance 
in  the  same,  but  only  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine. 

*' For  these,  the  articles  of  our  belief,  we  being  condemn* 
ed  to  die,  do  willingly  offer  our  corruptible  bodies  to  be 
dissolved  in  the  fire,  all  with  one  voice  assenting  and  con- 
senting thereunto,  and,  in  no  point,  dissenting  or  disagree- 
ing from  any  of  our  former  articles," 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  the  month  called 
June,  1556,  being  the  day  appointed  for  their  execution^ 
they  were  conducted  from  Newgate  to  Stratford-le-bow, 
tlie  place  allotted  for  them  to  confirm  that  faith  they 
had  professed,  and  to  which  they  had  so  strenuously  ad- 
hered. 

On  their  arrival  at  the  destined  place,  the  sheriff  made 
use  of  a  stratagem  to  bring  them  over  to  the  Romish  faith. 
He  divided  them  into  two  companies,  and  placed  them 
in  separate  apartments.  This  done,  he  visited  one  com- 
pany,  and  told  them  the  other  had  recanted,  by  which, 
their  lives  would  be  saved  ;  and  exhorted  diem  to  follow 
their  example,  and  not  cast  themselves  away  by  their 
own  mere  obstinacy. 

But  this  scheme  failed  in  its  effect ;  for  they  told  the 
sheriff,  that  their  faith  was  not  built  on  man,  but  on  Christ 
crucified. 

The  sheriff,  finding  his  project  fail  with  the  first  party 
to  whom  he  ai^plied,  had  recourse  to  the  same  with  thq 


412  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.' 

Others,  admonishing  them  to  recant  like  wise  men,  and 
not  be  guilt  J  of  destroying  themselves  by  their  own  big^ 
otry  and  prejudice. 

But  they  answered  to  the  same  effect  as  their  brethren 
had  done  before,  assuring  the  sheriff,  that  their  faith 
was  not  built  on  man,  but  on  Christ,  and  his  infallible 
uord. 

They  were  then  brought  from  their  different  apart- 
ments, and  ail  led  together  to  the  place  of  execution, 
where  they  embraced  each  other  ;  and,  after  praying  in 
the  most  fervent  maimer,  prepared  themselves  for  their 
fate, 

These  thirteen  steadfast  believers  in  Christ  were  chain- 
ed to  different  stakes,  but  all  burnt  together  in  one 
fire,  shewing  such  love  to  each  other,  firm  faith  in  their 
Saviour  and  Redeemer,  Jesus  Christ,  that  the  concourse 
of  spt  ctators,  assembled  on  the  occasion,  were  astonish- 
ed at  the  undaunted  behaviour  of  so  many  poor  innocents, 
thus  patiently  enduring  the  acutest  torments,  rather  than 
comply  with  the  errors  and  superstitions  of  the  church  of 
Homco 


The  sufferings  and  Martyrdoms  of  Robert  Bernard^  Adam 
Foster,  and  Robert  Lawson,  who  tvere  burnt  at  St. 
fidmund's  Bury^  in  Suffolk, 

The  first  of  these  martyrs  was  a  poor  labourer,  and 
lived  in  tne  parish  of  Frasden,  in  the  county  of  Suffolk. 
Being  apprehended  by  the  constable  of  the  parish  for  not 
going  to  church  he  was  brought  before  Dr.  Hopton, 
bishop  of  Norwich,  who  inquired  of  him,  whether  he  had 
been  with  a  priest  at  Easter  to  confess,  or  whether  he  had 
received  the  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

To  these  questions,  Bernard  frankly  replied,  ''  No,  I 
^;ive  not  been  with  the  priest,  nor  confessed  myself  unto 
bim  ;  but  I  have  confessed  my  sins  unto  Almighty  God, 
and,  I  trust,  be  hath  forgiven  me  ;  wherefore,  I  need  not 
go  to  the  priest  for  such  matters,  as  he  cannot  forgive  his 
^Wn  sins.^* 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  413 

The  bishop,  after  using  various  ars:uments  to  go  to 
confession  without  effect,  pronounced  him  a  heretic  ;  on 
vvhicli,  Bernard  said,  ''  my  lord,  it  grieveth  me  not  one 
whit  to  be  called  a  heretic  by  you,  for  so  your  forefathers 
called  the  prophets  and  apostles '  of  Christ  long  before 
this  time." 

Incensed  at  this  abrupt  reply,  the  bishop  arose,  and 
bade  Bernard  follow  him.  He  then  went  to  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  altar,  to  which  he  kneeled  and  prayed,  and 
severely  reproved  Bernard  for  not  doing  the  same  :  but 
our  martyr  told  him,  he  knew  no  authority  for  such  be- 
haviour in  the  word  of  God. 

The  bis '  op  then  addressing  him,  pointed  to  the  pix 
over  the  altar,  in  which  the  wafer  or  host  is  kept,  and 
said,  ^'  why,  lewd  fellow,  whom  seest  thou  yonder  ?" 
*'  nobody,  my  lord,"  replied  Bernard.  *'  Seest  thou 
not  thy  Maker,  varlet  ?"  demanded  the  prelate.  "  My 
maker!"  returned  the  countryman;  ''  no,  I  see  nothing 
but  a  few  clouts  hanging  together  in  a  heap." 

This  answer  so  irritated  the  bishop,  that  he  command- 
ed the  gaoler  to  take  him  away,  and  lay  irons  enough  on 
him,  declaring  that  he  w^ould  reduce  him  to  subjection 
before  he  had  done  with  him. 

The  next  day,  he  ^vas  again  brought  before  the  bish- 
op who  asked  him,  if  he  retained  the  same  opinions  as 
he  professed  yesterday.  To  which,  Bernard  replied,  "yes 
my  lord,  I  remember  myself  well,  for  I  am  the  same  man  to 
day  that  I  was  yesterday,  and  hope  I  shall  remain  stead- 
fast to  the  endofmy  life  in  theprinciplcs  I  have  professed." 

One  of  his  lordship's  attendants  being  desirous  of  ex- 
amining Bernard  himself,  advised  the  bishop  to  avoid 
giving  himself  any  further  trouble,  by  committing  his  ex- 
amination to  liim.  Having  obtained  permission  so  to  do, 
he  took  Bernard  to  an  inn,  where  several  popish  emissaries 
were  assembled.  They  first  used  manv  fair  words,  and 
alluring  promises,  to  persuade  him  to  abjure  what  they 
called  his  heretical  opinions.  This,  however,  not  taking 
effect  they  threatened  him  with  whipping,  the  stocks, 
and  burning ;  but   all  to  no  purpose.     He  told  diem, 


414  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS, 

*'  friends,  I  am  not  better  than  my  master,  Christ,  and 
the  prophets,  whom  your  forefathers  served  after  this 
sort ;  and  I,  for  his  sake,  am  content  to  suiFer  the  Hke  at 
your  hands,  if  God  should  so  permit,  trusting  that  he  will 
strengthen  me  in  the  same,  according  to  his  promise,  and 
and  that  of  his  ministers." 

After  this  declaration,  they  took  him  back  to  the  bish- 
op, who,  according  to  the  usual  form  of  proceeding  in 
the  court,  condemned  him  as  a  heretic,  and  he  was  de- 
livered over  to  the  secular  power. 

Adam  Foster  lived  in  the  parish  of  Mendlesham,  in  the 
county  of  Suffolk.  He  was  apprehended  in  his  own 
house  by  two  constables,  at  the  command  of  a  neigh- 
bouring justice,  for  absenting  himself  from  mass,  and 
not  receiving  the  sacrament  at  Easter.  Being  taken  be- 
fore the  bishop  of  Norwich,  who  examined  him  concern- 
ing his  religious  principles,  and  finding  him  steadfast  in 
his  faith,  according  to  the  doctrines  set  forth  in  the  days 
of  king  Edward  VI,  he  condemned  him  as  a  heretic,  and 
he  was  delivered  to  the  secular  powder. 

Robert  Lawson,  by  trade  a  linen-draper,  was  appre- 
hended on  the  same  account  as  the  two  former  ;  and  be- 
ing brought  before  sir  John  Tyrrel,  he  committed  him  to 
the  prison  of  Eye,  in  Suffolk.  After  laying  there  a  short 
time,  he  was  conducted  to  the  bishop  of  Norwich  for  ex- 
amination, when  holding  fast  to  the  principles  he  had 
professed,  and  withstanding  every  effort  made  use  of  by 
the  bishop  to  bring  him  to  recant,  he  W'as  deemed  a 
heretic,  received  sentence  of  death,  and  was  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  the  sheriff,  in  order  for  execution. 

On  the  30th  of  the  month  called  June,  1556.  these  three 
soldiers  of  Christ  were  conducted  to  St.  Edmund's  Bury, 
in  Suffolk,  where  being  all  fastened  to  one  stake,  they 
made  a  most  triumphant  exit,  and  died  in  full  assurance 
of  happiness  hereafter,  giving  glory  to  that  God  who  had 
enabled  them  to  undergo  their  sufferings  for  his  name's 
sake. 

About  the  same  time  these  three  suffered,  tliere  was 
one  John  Fortune,  a  blacksmith,  of  the  parish  of  Men- 
dlesham, in  Suffolk,    who  was  several  times  examined 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  415* 

by  th^  bishop  of  Norwich,  and  Others,  about  the  mass^ 
the  sacrament  of  the  ahar,  and  other  points  of  the  Romish 
religion,  which  he  refuted  by  texts  quoted  from  scrip- 
ture. His  sentence  of  condemnation  is  recorded  in  the 
bishop's  register  ;  but  whether  it  was  ever  carried  into 
execution,  we  are  not  informed. 


The  persecutions  and  sufferings  of  Julius  Palmer  fellorb 
of  Magdalen- College,  Oxford;  John  Gw  in  and  riioin- 
as  Askine,  who  suffered  Martyrdom  at  Newbury^  in 
Berkshire, 

Julius  Palmer  was  the  son  of  a  respectable  mer- 
chant, and  born  in  the  city  of  Coventry,  in  the  county  of 
Warwick.  He  received  his  first  education  at  the  free 
school  of  that  place  ;  after  which,  he  was  sent  to  Oxford, 
where,  in  process  of  time,  he  obtained  a  fellowship  in 
Miigdalen  college,  in  that  university. 

As  he  was  brought  up  a  zealous  papist,  he  refused  to 
conform  to  the  service  of  the  church,  as  practised  in  the 
time  of  king  Edward  VI,  for  which,  he  was  expelled  the 
college  ;  and,  for  some  time,  he  kept  a  school  in  the  city 
of  Oxford. 

On  the  accession  of  queen  Mary,  the  visitors  went  to 
Magdalen  college,  to  disi)lace  such  us  refused  to  be  of 
the  popish  religion.  Palmer  availed  himself  of  this  oppor- 
tunity ;  and,  by  close  application  himself  joined  to  the  in- 
terest of  his  friends,  he  was  reinstated  in  his  fellowship. 

During  the  time  of  his  expulsion  from  the  college,  he 
used  frequently  to  converse  with  some  of  his  acquaint- 
ance who  were  protestants  ;  and,  being  by  them  advised 
to  study  the  scriptures,  he  began  to  entertain  doubts 
concerning  the  truth  of  several  Romish  doctrines,  and 
would  often  ask  questions  on  that  subject. 

His  sincere  attachment  to  the  principles  he  professed, 
(though  opposite  in  their  nature  at  different  periods,)  was 
the  cause  of  his  expulsion  in  the  days  of  king  Edward 
VI,  and  his  troubles  in  the  reign  of  queen  Mary  ;  for, 
had  he  been  a  dissembler,  he  might  have  retained  his  fel- 


416  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

lowship  under  the  reign  of  the  former,  and  escaped  death 
under  that  of  the  hitter. 

When  the  persecution  raged  in  the  beginning  of  the 
reign  of  queen  Mary,  he  inquired,  very  particularly,  into 
the  cause  of  persons  being  apprehended,  the  naiure  of 
the  articles  upon  which  they  were  condemned,  the  man- 
ner of  their  treatment,  and  their  behaviour  at  the  time  of 
their  sufterijig.  Nay,  so  desirous  was  he  of  knowing 
this,  that  he  sent  over  one  of  his  pupils  from  Oxford  to 
Gloucest^,  to  see  the  whole  form  of  bishop  Hooper's 
execution,  and  bring  him  a  minute  account  of  the  bloody 
transaction. 

Before  he  had  imbibed  well  grounded  notions  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  and  the  pure  uncorrupted  worship  of 
God,  he  was  inclined  to  think,  that  very  few  would  un- 
dergo the  fiery  trial  for  the  sake  of  tiieir  profession  ;  but, 
when  experience  proved  to  him  the  cruelties  which  the 
papists  inflicted,  and  the  protestants  endured  ;  when  he 
had  been  present  at  the  examination  of  bishops  Ridley  and 
Latimer,  and  had  seen  them  burnt  at  Oxford,  as  well  as 
been  an  eye-witness  to  their  faith,  patience,  and  fortitude, 
these  scenes  converted  him  absolutely  from  popery  ;  and, 
on  his  return  from  the  execution,  he  was  heard  to  utter 
these  expressions  amongst  his  friends  ;  *'  O  raging  cruel- 
ty !   O  barbarous  tyranny  !" 

From  that  very  day,  he  applied  himself  most  assidu- 
ously to  learn  the  truth  of  God's  word  ;  and,  to  that  end, 
borrowed  Peter  Martyr's  commentary  on  the  Corinthi- 
ans, and  read  many  other  well -written  treatises  on  relig- 
ion, till,  at  length,  he  became  as  zealous  an  asserter  of 
the  protestant  cause,  as  he  before  had  been  an  obstinate 
opposer  of  it. 

He  now  began  to  form  excuses  and  pretences  for  ab- 
senting himself  from  mass,  and  other  popish  services 
and  ceremonies  ;  but,  finding  that  l.is  absence  on  these 
occasions,  incurred  the  suspicions  of  many,  and  disap* 
probation  of  the  president  of  tlie  college,  to  avoid  expul- 
sion, which  might  be  attended  with  danger,  and  to  pre- 
•^erve  his  conscience  inviolate,  he  resigned  his  fellowship. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTSi  4l7 

On  his  leaving  the  college,  his  friends  procured  him  the 
place  of  teacher  to  the  grammar  school  at  Reading,  in  Berk* 
shire,  where  he  was  received  by  those  who  loved  the  gos*,- 
pcl  of  Christ,  both  on  account  of  his  eminent  learning, 
and  his  zealous  adherence  to  the  truth. 

In  process  of  time,  some  hypocritical  professors  of  the 
reformed  religion,  insinuated  themselves  into  his  confi* 
dence,  with  a  design  to  learn  his  religious  principles* — = 
Their  disingenuous  stratagem  succeeded  to  their  wishes  ; 
for,  as  he  was  a  man  of  an  open,  unreserved  temper,  he 
freely  declared  his  sentiments,  which  those  snakes  reportjt 
cd  to  his  enemies,  who  thereupon  caused  his  library  to  be 
searched  for  heretical  books;  and  finding  some  of  his 
writings,  both  in  Latin  and  English,  that  inveighed  against 
popish  cruelty,  they  threatened  to  lay  this  discovery  be^ 
fore  the  queen's  commissioners,  unless  he  would  quietly 
resign  his  school  to  a  friend  of  theirs,  and  depart. 

Palmer,  fearful  of  death,  complied  with  their  unjust  pro* 
posal,  and  departed  from  Reading,  leaving  behind  him  all 
his  goods,  with  a  quarter's  salary  that  was. due  to  him. 

Being  thus  destitute  of  a  livelihood,  he  went  to  Eve* 
sham,  in  Worcestershire,  where  his  mother  lived,  in  ordef 
to  obtain  from  her  a  legacy,  which  his  fatlier  had  bequeath^ 
ed  him  four  years  before. 

As  soon  as  he  saw  his  mother,  he  implored  her  bless* 
ing  on  his  bended  knees  ;  but,  she  having  been  informed, 
by  his  brother,  of  the  cause  of  his  resignation,  and  the  bu- 
siness of  his  visit,  hastily  exclaimed,  "  thou  shalt  have 
Christ's  curse  and  mine,  whithersoever  thou  goest." 

Julius,  at  first,  stood  amazed  at  so  unexpected  and  heavy 
a  curse  from  his  own  mother ;  but,  after  he  had  re* 
collected  himself  a  little,  he  said,  **  O  mother,  your  own 
curse  you  may  gi\^  me,  which  God  knowcth  I  never  dc-^ 
served  ;  but  God's  curse  you  cannot  give  me,  for  he  hath 
already  blessed  me." 

His  bigotted  mothfr  said,  *' thou  wentest  from  God's 
blessing,  when  thou  wast  banished  for  an  lieretic  from  thy 
fellowship  at  Oxford,  and,  for  the  hke  knaVery,  hast  thoU 
been  expelled  from  Reading  too." 

3h 


418  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

"  Alas  !  mother,  returned  Julius,  my  case  has  been 
misrepresented  to  you,  for  I  was  not  expelled  from  the  col- 
lege at  Oxford,  but  freely  I  resigned  my  fellowship  there. 
Heretic  I  am  none,  for  I  oppose  not  the  true  doctrine 
of  Christ,  but  defend  it  to  my  utmost  power." 

His  mother  then  vehemently  declared,  that  he  believed 
not  as  his  father  and  forefathers  had  done,  but  according  to 
the  new  doctrine,  taught  and  set  forth  in  the  days  of  king 
Edward  VI,  which  is  damnable  heresy. 

In  answer  to  this,  he  confessed,  he  believed  the  doctrine 
that  was  publicly  set  forth  in  the  reign  of  king  Edward  VI. 
He  also  affirmed  it  to  be  truth,  and  that,  instead  of  being 
new,  it  was  as  old  as  Christ  and  his  apostles. 

The  mother,  incensed  at  this  frank  declaration  of  his 
principles,  ordered  him  to  depart  the  house,  nor  ever  more 
esteem  her  as  his  mother,  informing  him,  at  the  same  time, 
that  he  had  no  property  there,  either  in  money  or  goods, 
as  bis  father  bequeathed  nothing  to  heretics. 

Our  martyr,  as  became  a  true  follower  of  the  blessed  Je- 
sus, when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not  again,  but  commit- 
ted  his  cause  to  him,  who  judgeth  righteously.  On  leaving 
his  bigottcd  mother,  he  thus  addressed  her ;  *'  mother, 
you  have  cursed  me,  I  beseech  God  to  bless  you,  and  pros- 
per your  undertakings  as  long  as  you  live." 

This  pathetic  address,  attended  with  flowing  tears,  in 
some  degree,  moved  her  compassion  ;  and,  on  his  leaving 
theroom,she  threw  a  piece  of  gold  after  him,  saying,  *'keep 
that  to  make  thee  a  true  man." 

Palmer  being  thus  repulsed  by  his  mother,  on  whom 
he  relied  as  his  only  friend,  as  well  as  disregarded  by  his 
brother,  was  destitute  of  all  help,  and  knew  not  what  steps 
to  take  in  order  to  obtain  subsistence. 

At  length,  he  thought  of  returning  privately  to  Magda- 
len college,  depending  on  the  confidence  of  a  few  friends 
he  had  in  that  house.  He  accordingly  went  thither  ;  and, 
through  the  interest  of  Allen  Cope,  a  fellow  of  the  same, 
he  obtained  a  recommendation  to  a  school  in  Gloucester- 
shire. 

He  had  not  proceeded  far  on  his  journey  to  that  place, 
before  he  altered  his  resolution,  and  determined  to  go  pri- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  419 

vately  to  Reading,  to  try  if  he  could  obtain  his  salary  that 
was  due,  and,  at  the  same  time,  dispose  of  the  goods  he 
had  left  there. 

No  sooner  had  he  arrived  at  Reading,  than  his  old  ene- 
mies got  knowledge  of  it,  and  consulted  in  what  manner 
they  should  proceed  against  him. 

In  a  short  time,  it  was  concluded  amongst  them,  that 
one  Hampton,  who  had  formerly  professed  himself  a  prot- 
cstant,  (but  was,  in  reality,  a  time-server)  should  visit  un- 
der colour  of  friendship,  to  learn  the  cause  of  his  return. 

Hampton  traitorously  went,  when  Palmer,  with  his  usu- 
al sincerity,  and  openness  of  soul,  disclosed  the  whole  de- 
sign, which  the  other  immediately  related  to  the  confeder- 
ates, who  caused  him  to  be  apprehended  that  very  night, 
by  the  officers  appointed  for  the  purpose,  requiring  him,  in 
the  queen's  name,  quietly  to  surrender  himself. 

Palmer  was  then  carried  to  prison,  where  he  remained 
ten  days  in  the  custody  of  an  unmerciful  keeper ;  at  the  ex- 
piration of  which  time,  he  was  brought  before  the  mayor 
of  Reading,  and  charged  with  the  following  crimes  : 

1.  That  he  said,  the  queen's  sword  was  not  put  into  her 
hand  to  execute  tyranny,  and  to  kill  and  murder  the  true 
servants  of  God. 

2.  That  her  sword  was  too  blunt  towards  the  papists, 
but  too  sharp  towards  the  true  christians. 

3.  That  certain  servants  of  sir  Francis  Knowles,  and 
others,  resorting  to  his  lectures,  fell  out  among  them,  and 
had  almost  committed  murder  ;  therefore,  he  was  a  sower 
of  sedition,  and  a  procurer  of  unlawful  assemblies. 

4.  That  hb  landlady  had  written  a  letter  to  him,  which 
they  had  intercepted,  wherein  she  requested  him  to  return 
to  Reading,  and  sent  her  commendations  by  token,  that  the 
knife  lay  hid  under  the  beam,  whereby  they  inferred,  that 
she  had  conspired  with  him  against  her  husband. 

5.  That  they  once  found  him  alone  with  his  said  land- 
lady, by  the  fireside,  the  door  being  shut,  thereby  suspect- 
ing him  of  incontincncy  with  her. 

Three  men,  who  were  suborned  for  the  purpose  by,  one 
of  the  confederates,  swore  these  things  against  him  before 


420  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

the  mayor,  who  thereupon  sent  him  to  the  cage,  to  be  aii 
open  spectacle  of  contempt  to  the  people. 

The  same  villain  also  spread  a  report,  that  he  was  thus 
punished  for  the  most  enormous  crimes  and  misdemeanors, 
which  had  been  fully  proved  against  him. 

After  he  had  been  thus  unjustly  exposed  to  public 
shame,  the  mayor  sent  for  him  to  answer  for  himself,  con- 
cerning what  was  laid  to  his  charge. 

He  fully  overthrew  all  the  evidence,  by  proving  the  let- 
ter said  to  have  been  written  to  him  by  his  landlady,  to  be 
of  their  own  forging  ;  and,  in  the  most  incontestable  man- 
ner acquitted  himself  of  all  the  other  crimes  laid  to  his 
charge.  The  mayor  was  confounded,  to  think  he  should 
have  given  such  credit  to  his  persecutors  ;  and  though 
he  did  not  choose  to  discharge  him  immediately,  yet  he 
thought  of  doing  it  as  soon  as  a  convenient  opportunity 
should  ofter. 

While  Palmer  was  in  prison,  he  was  visited  by  one  John 
Oalant,  a  true  professor  of  the  gospel,  who  said  to  him,  *'  O 
Palmer  !  thou  hast  deceived  many  men's  expectations;  for, 
we  hear  that  you  sufter  not  for  righteousness'  sake,  but 
for  thy  own  demerits." 

Palmer  replied,  '*  O  brother  Galant,  these  be  the  old 
practices  of  that  fanatical  brood  :  but,  be  you  well  assured, 
and  God  be  praised  for  it,  I  have  so  purged  myself  and  de- 
tected their  falsehood,  that,  from  henceforth,  I  shall  be  no 
more  molested  therewith," 

When  his  enemies  found,  they  had  miscarried  in  their 
plot  against  him,  they  determined  to  accuse  him  of  heresy. 
This  was  accordingly  done,  in  consequence  of  which,  he 
was  taken  before  the  mayor,  and  Bird,  the  bishop  of  Salis- 
bury's official,  in  order  to  give  an  account  of  his  faith,  and 
to  answer  to  such  information  as  might  be  laid  against 
him. 

In  the  course  of  his  examination,  they  gathered  from 
him  sufficient  grounds  to  proyecd  against  him.  Articles 
were  accordingly  drawn  up,  and  sent  to  Dr.  Jeffrey,  at 
Newbery,  who  was  to  hold  his  visitation  there  on  the 
Thursday  following. 


PERS|;CUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  421 

The  next  day,  Palmer  was  conducted  to  Newbery,  to- 
gether with  one  Thomas  Askine,  who  had  been  for  some 
time  imprisoned  on  account  of  his  rehgion.  Immediately 
on  their  arrival,  they  were  committed  to  the  Blind-house 
prison,  where  they  found  one  John  Gwin,  who  was  con- 
lined  there  for  no  other  reasoli  but  professing  the  truth  of 
the  gospel. 

On  the  10th  of  the  month  called  July,  1556,  a  place  be- 
ing prepared  in  the  parish  church  of  Newbery,  to  hold  the 
consistory-court,  Dr.  Jeffrey,  representative  of  the  bishop 
of  Sarum,  Sir  Richard  Abridge,  John  Winchom,  Esq. 
and  the  minister  of  Ingleiield,  repaired  thither,  as  commis- 
sioners appointed  for  the  purpose. 

After  the  prisoners  were  produced,  the  commission 
read,  and  other  things  passed,  according  to  the  usual  form, 
Dr.  Jeffrey,  in  the  presence  of  several  hundred  spectators, 
called  to  Palmer,  and  asked,  if  he  was  the  writer  of  a  two- 
penny pamphlet  that  had  been  lately  published  ? 

Having  some  altercation  about  this  affair,  in  which,  Pal- 
mer answered  in  his  own  behalf  with  great  force  and  pro- 
priety, the  doctor  rising  from  his  seat,  said  to  him,  "  Mr. 
Palmer,  we  have  received  certain  writings  and  articles 
against  you  from  the  right  worshipful  the  mayor  of  Read- 
laig,  and  other  justices,  whereby  we  understand,  that  be- 
ing brought  before  them,  you  were  convicted  of  certain 
heresies. 

1.  **  That  you  deny  the  supremacy  of  the  pope's  holi- 
ness. 

2.  "  That  you  affirm  there  are  but  two  sacraments. 

3.  "  You  say,  that  the  priest  sheweth  up  an  idol,  at  mass, 
and,  therefore,  you  went  to  no  mass  since  your  first  coming 
to  Reading. 

4.  "  You  hold  there  is  no  purgatory. 

5.  ^'  You  ai'c  charged  with  sowing  sedition,  and  seeking 
to  divide  the  unity  of  the  queen's  subjects." 

Several  books  and  pamphlets  were  then  produced  ;  and 
Palmer  being  asked,  if  he  was  the  author  of  them,  replied 
in  the  affirmative,  declaring  at  the  same  time,  that  they 
contained  nothing  but  what  was  founded  on  the  word  of 
God. 


422  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Jeffrey  then  reviled  him,  declaring  that  such  opinions 
were  dictated  by  no  good  spirit,  and  that  he  was  very  wick- 
ed in  slandering  the  dead,  and  railing  at  a  catholic  and 
learned  man  living. 

Palmer  replied,  if  it  be  a  slander,  he  slandered  himself, 
for  I  do  but  report  his  own  writings,  and  expose  absurdities 
therein  contained  ;  and  I  esteem  it  not  railing  to  inveigh 
against  Annas  and  Caiaphas,  being  dead. 

The  doctor,  incensed  at  this  reply,  assured  him,  that  he 
would  take  such  measures,  as  should  compel  him  to  recimt 
his  damnable  errors  and  heresies  ;  but  Palmer  told  him, 
that  although  of  himself  he  could  do  nothing,  yet  if  he, 
and  all  his  enemies,  both  bodily  and  ghostly,  should  ^xert 
their  efforts,  they  would  not  be  able  to  effect  what  they  de- 
sired, neither  could  they  prevail  against  the  mighty  powers 
of  divine  grace,  by  which,  he  understood  the  truth,  and 
was  determined  to  speak  it  boldly. 

After  much  farther  discourse,  the  minister  of  Inglefield 
pointed  to  the  pix  over  the  altar,  saying  to  Palmer,  *' what 
seest  thou  there  ?"  To  which,  he  replied,  "  a  canopy  of 
silk,  embroidered  with  gold." 

"  But  what  is  within  ?"  demanded  the  priest.  "  A  piece 
of  bread  in  a  cloth,"  replied  our  martyr. 

The  priest  then  upbraided  him  as  a  vile  heretic,  and 
asked  him,  if  he  did  not  believe  that  those  who  receive 
the  holy  sacrament  of  the  altar,  do  truly  eat  Christ's  natural 
body. 

He  answered,  *^  if  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  be 
administered  as  Christ  did  ordain  it,  the  faithful  receivers 
do,  indeed,  spiritually  and  truly  eat  and  drink  in  it  Christ's 
body  and  blood. 

On  being  asked,  if  he  meant  with  the  holy  mother- 
church,  really,  carnally,  and  substantially  ?  He  declar- 
ed, "  he  could  not  believe  so  absurd  and  monstrous  a 
doctrine." 

After  this,  the  court  was  adjourned,  when  one  of  the 
justices  took  Palmer  aside,  and,  in  the  presence  of  several 
persons,  exhorted  him  to  revoke  his  opinions,  and  thereby 
preserve  his  life  ;  promising  him,  at  the  same  time,  if  he 
would  conform  to  the  church,  to  take  him  into  his  family 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  423 

as  his  chaplain,  and  give  him  a  handsome  salary,  or,  if  he 
chose  not  to  resume  the  clerical  function,  to  procure  him 
an  advantageous  farm. 

Palmer  heartily  thanked  him  for  his  kind  offer,  but  as- 
sured him,  that  he  had  already  renounced  his  living  in 
two  places,  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  his  gospel,  and  was 
ready  to  yield  up  his  life  in  defence  of  the  same,  if  God,  in 
his  providence,  should  think  fit  to  call  him  to  it. 

When  the  justice  found  he  could,  by  no  means,  bring 
him  to  a  recantation,  he  said,  "  well  Palmer,  I  perceive 
that  one  of  us  two  must  be  damned ;  for  we  are  of  two 
faiths,  and  there  is  but  one  faith  that  leads  to  life  and  salva- 
tion." 

Palmer  observed,  on  the  occasion,  that  it  was  possible 
they  might  both  be  saved,  for  that  as  it  had  pleased  a 
merciful  God  to  call  him  at  the  third  hour  of  the  day, 
that  is,  in  the  prime  of  life,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four 
years,  so  he  trusted,  that  in  his  infinite  goodness,  he 
would  graciously  call  him  at  the  eleventh  hour  of  his  old 
age,  and  give  him  an  eternal  inheritance  among  the  saints 
in  light. 

After  much  conversation  had  passed,  and  many  efforts 
were  tried  in  vain,  Palmer  was  remanded  to  prison  ;  but 
the  other  men,  John  Gvvin,  and  Thomas  Askine,  were 
brought  into  the  consistory. court,  received  their  definitive 
sentence,  and  were  delivered  over  to  the  secular  power,  to 
be  burned  as  heretics. 

Though  the  particular  examinations  and  answers  of 
these  two  martyrs  are  not  recorded,  there  is  no  doubt,  but 
they  were  of  the  same  faith,  and  equally  steadfast  in  it,  as 
their  fellow- sufferer  Palmer  ;  but  they  were  very  illiterate, 
from  whence,  it  is  supposed,  their  examination  was  short, 
they  not  having  a  capability  of  making  any  defence. 

The  next  morning,  the  commissioners  required  Julius 
Palmer  to  subscribe  to  certain  articles  which  they  had 
gathered  from  his  answers,  (with  tlie  addition  of  those  odi- 
ous epithets  and  terms,  horrid,  heretical,  damnable,  and 
execrable  doctrines)  which,  when  he  had  read,  he  refused 
to  subscribe,  affirming,  that  the  doctrines  which  he  held 


424  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

aiid  professed,  were  not  such,  but  agreeable  to,  and  found= 
ed  on  the  word  of  God. 

Jeffrey,  being  now  greatly  incensed,  Palmer  consented 
to  subscribe,  provided  they  would  strike  out  those  odious 
epithets ;  upon  which,  they  gave  him  a  pen,  and  bade 
him  do  as  he  pleased,  when  he  made  such  alterations  as 
he  thought  proper,  and  then  subscribed. 

Having  thus  set  his  hand  to  the  articles  which  they  had 
drawn  up,  they  asked  him,  if  he  would  recant ;  but  he  per- 
emptorily refusing,  they  pronounced  sentence  against  him, 
and  he  was  delivered  over  to  the  secular  power. 

While  he  was  in  prison,  he  gave  great  comfort  to  his 
two  fellow-sufferers,  and  strongly  exhorted  them  to  hold 
fast  to  the  faith  they  had  professed.  On  the  morning 
of  their  execution,  about  an  hour  before  they  were  led 
to  the  stake,  he  addressed  them  in  words  to  the  following 
effect : 

*'  Brethren,  be  of  good  cheer  in  the  Lord,  and  faint  not  ; 
remember  the  words  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  who  saith, 
'  happy  are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile  and  persecute  you  for 
my  sake  :  rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad,  for  great  is  your 
reward  in  heaven.'  Fear  not  them  that  kill  the  body,  but 
are  not  able  to  hurt  the  soul ;  God  is  faithful,  and  will  not 
suffer  us  to  be  tempted  above  what  we  are  able  to  bear. 
We  shall  end  our  lives  in  the  lire,  but  exchange  them  for 
a  better  life  :  yea,  for  coals,  we  shall  receive  pearls  ;  for 
God's  spirit  certifieth  our  spirit,  that  he  hath  prepared 
for  us  blissful  mansions  in  heaven  for  his  sake,  who  suffer- 
ed for  us." 

These  words  not  only  strengthened  and  confirmed  the 
resolution  of  his  two  weak  brethren,  but  drew  tears  from 
many  of  the  multitude. 

When  they  were  brought  by  the  high-sheriff  and  con- 
stables of  the  town  to  the  sand-pits,  (the  place  appointed 
for  their  execution)  they  fell  on  the  ground  ;  and  Palmer, 
A.vith  an  audible  voice,  repeated  the  31st  psalm  ;  but  the 
other  two  made  their  prayers  secretly  to  Almighty  God. 

When  Palmer  arose  from  prayer,  there  came  behind 
him  two  popish  priests,  exhorting  him  to  recant  and  save 
his  soul. 


1»ERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS*  425' 

Our  martyr  exclaimed,  *'  away,  away,  and  tempt  me  no 
longer  !  Away  !  I  say  from  me,  all  ye  that  work  iniquity> 
For  the  Lord  hath  heard  the  voice  of  my  tears. ^' 

When  they  were  chained  to  the  stake,  Palmer  thus  ad- 
dressed the  spectators:  '^  good  people,  pray  for  us,  that  we 
may  persevere  to  the  end,  and,  for  Ciirist's  sake,  beware  of 
popish  teachers,  for  they  deceive  you,'' 

As  he  spoke  this,  one  of  the  attendants  threw  a  fagot  at 
him,  which  striking  him  on  the  face,  caused  the  blood  to 
to  gush  from  three  several  places  ;  but  this  cruel  behaviour 
escaped  not  the  notice  or  resentment  of  the  sheriffs,  who 
not  only  upbraided  his  cruelty,  but  manfully  retaliated 
the  injury  on  the  man,  who  had  thus  insulted  suffering  in- 
nocence. 

When  the  fire  was  kindled,  and  begari  to  reach  their  bo- 
dies, they  lifted  up  their  hands  towards  heaven,  and  cheer- 
fully, as  though  they  felt  not  much  pain,  said,  *'  Lord  Je- 
sus, strengthen  us  !  Lord  Jesus,  assist  us  !  Lord  Jesus, 
receive  our  souls  !"  and  thus,  they  continued  without  any 
struggling,  till  they  ended  their  mortal  lives,  and  exchang- 
ed a  scene  of  exquisite  pain,  for  an  everlasting  habitation 
in  the  heavenly  mansions. 

About  the  same  time  the  above  three  persons  suffered 
at  Ncwbery,  three  women  were  burnt  in  the  island  of 
Guernsey,  whose  names  were,  Catharine  Cawches,  the 
mother ;  Guillemine  Gilbert,  and  Perotine  Massey,  her 
daughters. 

Their  execution  \vas  attended  with  disthiguished  marks 
of  cruelty,  but  they  bore  all  with  a  fortitude  that  evinced 
their  steadfast  faith  in  him  who  died  for  all  mankind.  They 
v/ere  fastened  to  different  stakes,  the  mother  being  placed 
in  the  middle,  the  elder  daughter  on  her  right  hand,  and 
the  younger  on  the  left.  They  were  first  ordered  to  be 
strangled,  but  the  fagots  being  immediately  lighted,  the 
ropes  with  which  they  were  fastened,  gave  way  before  they 
were  deprived  of  life.  Perotine,  the  elder  daughter,  be- 
ing pregnant,  the  intense  lieat  of  the  devouring  flames  oc- 
casioned her  womb  to  burst,  and,  from  Vvithin  her  body,  was 
forced  the  innocent  babe  alive.  It  was  a  fine  male  inflmt, 
and  being  by  a  spectator  of  this  scarce  to  be  parallelled 

3  I 

w 


^0  ri;RSECI7TED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

scene,  snatched  from  tlie  fire,  and  laid  on  the  grass,  it  viJas, 
as  soon  as  the  bailiffs,  &:c.  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
fact,  most  inhumanly  ordered  to  be  cast  into  the  flames, 
where,  with  its  hapless  mother,  it  miserably  perished,  be- 
ing, as  it  may  not  be  improperly  termed,  baptized  in  its 
innocent  blood,  born  and  dying  a  martyr.  Such  was  the 
Herodian  cruelty  of  these  persecuting  times,  when  reason 
was  influenced  by  bigotry,  and  humanity  sacrificed  to  er- 
roneous conceptions  ! 

In  the  same  month  that  these  suffered,  two  men  and  a 
woman  were  burnt  at  Greenstead,  in  Sussex,  and  one  man 
in  the  town  of  Leicester.  The  names  of  the  three  former 
were,  Thomas  D ungate,  John  Foreman,  and  Mary  Tree. 
And  that  of  the  latter,  Thomas  Moor. 

They  all  bore  their  sufferings  with  great  fortitude,  and 
cheerfully  resigned  their  souls  into  the  hands  of  that  God 
who  gave  them,  as  a  testimony  of  their  faith  in  the  truth  of 
his  most  holy  gospel. 


The  exammation,  condemnation^  and  martyrdom  of  Joan 
JVaste,  a  poor  blind  womaiiy  who  was  burnt  in  the  town 
of  Derby. 

Th  IS  poor  woman,  during  the  time  of  king  Edward  VI, 
used  to  frequent  the  church  to  hear  divine  service  in  the 
vulgar  tongue,  together  with  homilies  and  sermons,  by 
which  means,  she  became  confirmed  and  established  in  the 
principles  of  the  reformed  religion. 

Having  purchased  a  New  Testament  in  English,  she  ap- 
plied to  an  old  man,  whom  she  paid  for  reading  such  pas- 
sages as  she  directed  him  ;  by  which  means,  she  became 
so  well  versed  in  the  holy  scriptures,  that  she  could  repeat 
entire  chapters  by  heart ;  and,  by  citing  proper  texts  of 
scripture,  would  reprove  the  errors  in  religion,  as  well  as 
the  vicious  customs  and  practices  that  prevailed  in  those 
days. 

Thus,  did  this  pious  woman  increase  in  the  knowledge 
of  God's  word,  leading  a  life  of  exemplary  godliness,  with- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAriETS.  427 

Qut  molestation,  or  any  kind  of  interruption,  during  the 
reign  of  king  Edward. 

But,  on  his  demise,  and  the  introduction  of  popery,  with 
the  accession  of  queen  Mary,  because  she  continued  stead- 
fast in  the  profession  of  that  faith  she  Ixad  embraced  from 
the  knowledge  of  the  divine  word,  and  refused  to  commu- 
nicate with  those  who  maintained  contrary  doctrines,  she 
was  brought  before  Dr.  R<lph  Bayn,  bishop  of  Litchfield 
and  Coventry,  and  Dr,  Draycott,  the  chancellor,  as  one 
suspected  of  heresies,  and  by  them  committed  to  Derby 
prison. 

She  was  divers  times  privately  examined  by  Peter  Finch, 
the  bishop's  official ;  and  afterwards  brought  to  public  ex- 
amination before  the  bishop,  his  chancellor,  and  several 
more  of  the  queen's  commissioners  ;  when  the  following 
articles  were  alleged  against  her. 

1.  That  she  held  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  to  be  only  a 
memorial,  or  representation  of  Christ's  body,  and  material 
bread  and  wine  ;  and  that  it  ought  not  to  be  reserved  from 
time  to  time,  but  immediately  received. 

2.  That  she  held,  that  in  receiving  the  sacrament  of  the 
altar,  she  did  not  receive  the  same  body  that  was  born  of 
the  virgin  Mary,  and  suffered  on  the  cross  for  the  redemp- 
tion of  mankind. 

3.  That  she  held,  that  Christ,  at  his  last  supper,  did  not 
only  bless  the  bread  ^vhich  he  had  then  in  his  hands,  but 
was  blessed  himself;  and  that,  by  virtue  of  the  words  of 
consecration,  the  substance  of  the  l3read  and  wine  was  not 
converted,  nor  turned  into  the  substance  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ. 

4.  That  she  granted,  she  was  of  tlie  parish  of  Allhallows^ 
in  Derby,  and  that  all  and  singular  the  premises  are  true. 

To  these  respective  articles,  she  answered,  that  she  be- 
lieved just  as  much  as  the  holy  scriptures  taught  her,  and 
according  to  what  she  had  heard  preached  by  many  pious 
and  learned  men  ;  some  of  whom  suffered  imprisonment, 
and  others  death,  for  the  same  doctrine. 

Among  others,  she  mentioned  Dr,  Taylor,  and  asked, 
if  they  would  follow  his  example  in  testimony  of  their  doc- 
trine ?  Which,  unless  they  were  willing  to  do,  she  desire* 


4.28  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

for  God's  sake,  they  would  not  trouble  her,  (being  a  poor, 
blind,  and  illiterate  woman)  declaring  at  the  same  time,  she 
was  ready  to  yield  up  her  life  in  defence  of  that  faith  she 
had  publicly  professed. 

The  bishop  and  his  chancellor,  urged  many  arguments 
in  proof  of  the  doctrine  of  the  real  presence  in  the  sacrament 
ot  the  altar,  demanding  why  Christ  was  not  as  able  to  make 
the  bread  his  body,  as  to  turn  water  into  wine,  to  raise 
Lazarus  from  the  dead,  and  the  like,  threatening  her,  at 
the  same  time,  with  imprisonment,  torments,  and  death. 

The  poor  woman,  terrified  at  these  threatenings,  told  the 
bishop,  if  he  would,  before  that  company,  take  it  upon  his 
conscience,  that  the  doctrine  wiiich  he  would  have  her  to 
believe,  concerning  the  sacrament,  was  true  ;  and  that  he 
would,  at  the  awful  tribunal  of  God,  answer  for  her  there- 
in, (is  Dr.  Taylor,  in  several  sermons,  had  offered)  she 
would  then  further  answer  them. 

The  bishop,  declaring  that  he  would,  the  chancellor 
said  to  him,  '"^my  lord,  you  know  not  what  you  do  ;  yon 
may,  in  no  case,  answer  for  a  heretic." 

The  bibhop,  struck  by  this  interposition  of  the  chancel- 
lor, demanded  of  the  woman,  whether  she  would  recant  or 
not,  md  toid  her,  she  should  answer  for  herself. 

This  honest  christian  finding,  at  length,  they  designed 
but  to  prevaricate,  told  his  lordship,  that  if  he  refused  to 
take  upon  himself  to  answer  to  the  truth  of  what  they  re- 
quired her  to  believe,  she  would  ansvver  no  farther,  but  de- 
sired them  to  do  their  pleasure » 

In  consequence  of  this,  sentence  of  death  was  pronounc- 
ed against  her,  and  she  was  delivered  to  the  sheriff,  who  im- 
mediately conducted  her  to  the  prison  of  Derby. 

On  the  first  of  the  month  called  August,  1556,  the  day 
appointed  for  her  execution,  she  was  led  to  the  stake.  Im- 
mediately on  her  arrival  at  the  fatal  spot,  she  kneeled  down, 
and,  in  the  most  fervent  manner,  repeated  several  prayers, 
she  had  been  accustomed  to  use,  and  desired  the  specta- 
tors to  pray  also  for  her  departing  soul.  Having  finished 
her  prayers,  she  arose,  and  was  fastened  to  the  stake;  when, 
the  fagots  being  lighted,  she  called  on  the  Lord  to  have 
mercy  upon  her,  and  continued  so  to  do,  till  the  flames  de- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  429 

prived  her  both  of  speech  and  life.  And  thus,  did  this 
poor  woman  quit  this  mortal  stage,  to  obtain  a  life  of  im- 
mortality, the  sure  and  certain  reward  of  all  'hose  wliO 
suffered  for  the  sake  of  the  true  gospel  of  their  blessed 
Redeemer. 

On  the  8th  of  the  month  called  September,  one  Ed- 
ward Sharp  was  burnt  at  Bristol ;  and,  on  the  25th  of  the 
same  month,  a  young  man,  by  trade  a  carpenter,  suffered 
at  the  same  place. 

The  day  preceding  the  last  martyrdom,  John  Hart,  a 
shoe-maker,  and  Thomas  Ravendale,  a  currier,  were 
burnt  at  Mayfield.  in  Sussex  ;  and,  on  the  27th  of  the 
same  month,  one  John  Horn,  and  a  woman,  suffered  at 
Wotten-Underedge,  in  Gloucestershire. 

All  these  martyrs  submitted  to  their  fate,  with  the 
most  christian  fortitude,  giving  glory  to  God  for  having 
numbered  them  among  the  followers  and  advocates  of  his 
most  holy  gospel. 

The  last  we  find  recorded,  who  suffered  for  the  truth 
of  the  gospel,  in  the  bloody  year,  1556,  were  five  persons 
(confined,  with  many  others,  in  Canterbury  castle)  who 
were  cruelly  starved  to  death.  Their  names  were  as 
follows  : 

William  Foster,  Alice  Potkins,  and  John  Archer,  con- 
demned ;  John  Clark,  and  Dunstan  Chittenden,  not  con- 
demned. 

The  cruel  usage  these  unhappy  persons  suffered  from 
their  unfeeling  persecutors,  is  displayed  in  a  letter  writ- 
ten by  one  of  them,  and  thrown  out  of  the  window  of  the 
prison  ;  of  which,  the  following  is  an  exact  copy  : 

"  Be  it  known  unto  all  men  that  shall  read,  or  hear  read, 
these  our  letters,  that  we,  the  poor  prisoners  of  the  castle 
of  Canterbury,  for  God's  truth,  are  kept,  and  lie  in  cold 
irons ;  and  our  keepers  will  not  suffer  any  meat  to  be 
brought  to  us  to  comfort  us.  And,  if  any  man  do  bring 
us  any  thing,  as  bread,  butter,  cheese,  or  any  other  food, 
the  said  keeper  will  charge  them  that  so  bring  us  any 
thhig,  except  money  or  raiment,  to  carry  it  them  a- 
gain  ;  or  else,  if  he  do  receive  any  food  of  any  for  us,  he 
doth  keep  it  for  himself,  and    he  and  his    servants   do 


A.SO  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

spend  it,  so  that  we  have  nothing  thereof ;  and  thus,  the 
keeper  keepeth  away  our  victuals  from  us  :  insomuch, 
that  there  are  four  of  us  prisoners  here  for  God's  truth, 
famished  already  ;  and  thus  it  is  his  mind  to  famish  us 
all  :  and  we  think  he  is  appointed  thereunto  by  the  bish- 
ops and  priests,  and,  also,  by  the  justices,  so  to  famish 
us  ;  and  not  only  us  of  the  said  castle,  but,  also,  all  other 
prisoners,  in  other  prisons,  for  the  like  cause,  to  be  also 
famished :  notwithstanding,  we  write  not  these  our  let- 
ters, to  that  intent,  we  might  not  afford  to  be  famished 
for  the  Lord  Jesus'  sake,  but  for  this  cause  and  intent, 
that  they,  having  no  law  to  famish  us  in  prison,  should 
not  do  it  privily,  but  that  the  murderers'  hearts  should  be 
openly  known  to  all  the  world,  tliat  all  men  may  know 
of  Vv'hat  church  they  are,  and  who  is  their  father.  Out 
cf  the  castle  of  Canterbury." 

Among  the  others  confined  w^ith  these  five,  were  ten 
men,  who,  having  been  examined  by  Dr.  Thornton,  suf« 
fragan  of  Dover,  and  Nicholas  Harpsfield,  arclideacon 
of  Canterbury,  were  sentenced  to  be  burnt.  They  had 
been  confined  a  considerable  time,  but  their  sentence 
was,  at  length,  put  into  execution  ;  and  they  were  the 
:Srst  who  opened  the  bloody  transactions  of  the  year  1557. 
Their  names  were  as  follows  : 

Stephen  Kemp,  of  Norgate ;  William  Waterer,  of 
Beddingden  ;  W.  Prowting,  of  Thornham ;  W.  Low- 
ick,  of  Cranbroke  ;  Thomas  Hudson,  of  Salenge  ;  Wil- 
liam Hay,  of  Hithe  ;  Thomas  Stephens,  of  Beddingden  ; 
John  Phiipot,  Nicholas  Final,  and  Matthew  Bradbridge, 
of  Tenterden. 

The  six  first  were  burnt  at  Canterbury,  on  the  15th  of 
the  month  called  January,  1557. 

Stephens  and  Phiipot  suffered,  the  next  day,  at  Wie« 
And  Final  and  Bradbridge,  tlie  day  after,  at  Ashford. 

They  all  bore  their  sufferings  with  christian  fortitude, 
fiappily  rejoicing  that  their  troubles  were  drawing  to  an 
end,  and  that  they  should  leave  this  world,  to  be  trans- 
planted to  that  where  the  weary  are  at  rest. 

Notwithstanding  the  number  of  sacrifices  that  had  been 
made  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom,  since  the  acces- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  431 

sion  of  queen  Mary,  in  order  to  indulge  the  bigotry  ot 
that  infatuated  princess,  yet  they  were  far  from  being  at 
an  end.  Naturally  disposed  to  tyranny,  and  encouraged 
in  her  blood-thirsty  principles,  by  Bonner,  bishop  of 
London,  she  determined  to  compel  all  her  subjects,  who 
differed  from  herself  in  religious  sentiments,  either  to 
submit  to  her  maxims,  or  fidl  victims  to  her  unsatiaied 
revenge. 

To  facilitate  this  horrid  intention,  in  the  beginning  of 
the  month  called  February,  1557,  she  issued  the  follow- 
ing proclamation,  which  was,  in  a  great  measure,  promot- 
ed by  bishop  Bonner,  w'hose  cruel  soul,  in  conjunction 
with  hers,  thirsted  after  the  blood  of  those  who  thought 
not  as  they  did. 

A  bloody  Commission,  issued  by  King  Philip,  and  Queen 
Alary,  to  persecute  the  poor  Members  of  Christ. 

"  Philip  and  Mary,  by  the  grace  of  God,  king  and 
queen  of  England,  &c.  To  the  right  reverend  Failicr  in 
God,  our  right,  trusty,  and  well- beloved  counsellor, 
Thomis,  bisliop  of  Ely  ;  and  to  our  right,  trusty,  and 
well- beloved  VVilliam  Windsor,  knight,  lord  Windsor, 
Edward  North,  knight,  lord  North ;  and  to  our  trusty 
and  well-beloved  counsellor,  J.  Bourn,  knight,  one  of 
our  chief  secretaries,  J.  Mordant,  knight,  Francis  Eng- 
lefield,  knight,  master  of  our  wards  and  liveries,  Edward 
Walgrave,  knight,  master  of  our  great  wardrobe,  Nich- 
olas Hare,  knight,  master  of  the  rolls,  Thomas  Pope, 
knight,  Roger  Cholmley,  knight,  Richard  Rede,  knight, 
Rowland  Hill,  knight,  William  Rastal,  serjeant  at  law, 
Henry  Cole,  clerk,  dean  of  St.  Paul's,  William  Roper, 
and  Ralph  Cholmley,  Esqrs.  William  Cook,  Thomas 
Martin,  John  Story,  and  John  Vanghan,  doctors  of  the 
law,  greeting. 

*'  Forasmuch  as  divers,  devilish,  and  slanderous  persons 
have  not  only  invented,  bruted,  and  set  forth  divers  flilsc 
rumours,  tales  and  seditious  slanders  against  us,  but  also, 
hav©  sown  divers  heresies,  and  heretical  opinions,  -^n^ 


4,$^  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

set  forth  divers  seditious  books,  within  this  our  realm  of 
England,  meaning  thereby  to  stir  up  division,  strife,  con- 
tention, and  sedition,  not  only  amongst  our  loving  sub- 
jects, but  also,  betwixt  us  and   our  said  subjects,  with 
divers  other  outrageous  misdemeanors,  enormities,  con- 
tempts, and  offences,  daily  committed  and  done,  to  the 
disquieting  of  us  and  our  people  :  we,  minding  the  due 
punishment  of  such  offenders,  and  the  repressing  of  such 
like  offences,  enormities,  and  misbehaviours  from  hence- 
forth, having  special  trust  and  conlidence  in  your  fideli- 
ties, wisdoms,  and  discretions,  have  authorized,  appoint- 
ed, and  assigned  you  to  be  our  commissioners  ;  and,  by 
these  presents,  do  give  full  power  and  authority  unto  you, 
and  three  of  you,   to  inquire^  as  well  by  the  oaths  of 
twelve  good  and  lawful  men,  as  by  witnesses,   and  all 
other  means  and  politic  ways  you  can  devise,  of  all  and 
singular  heretical  opinions,  lollardies,  heretical  and  sedi- 
tious books,  concealments,  contempts,  conspiracies,  and 
all  false  rumours,  tales,  seditions,  and  slanderous  words,  or 
sayings,  raised,  published,  bruted,  invented,  or  set  forth 
against  us,  or  either  of  us,  or  against  the   quiet   govern^ 
ance  and  rule  of  our  people  and  subjects,  by  books,  lies, 
tales,  or  otherwise,  in  any  county,  key,   bowing,  or  oth- 
er place  or  places     within  this   our  realm  of  England, 
or  elsewhere,  in  any  place  or  places,   beyond  the  seas, 
and  of  the  bringers  in,  utterers,   buyers,   sellers,    read- 
ers,   keepers,  or  conveyers  of  any  such  letter,  books, 
rumour^  and  tale  ;   and  of  all  and  every  their  coadjutors, 
counsellors,  comforters,   procurers,  abettors,  and  main- 
tainers,  giving  unto  you,  and  three  of  you,   full  po^ver 
and  authority,  by  virtue  hereof,  to  search  out,  and  take 
into  your  hands  and  possesions,  all  manner  of  heretical 
and  seditious  books,  letters,  and  writings,   wheresover 
they,  or  any  of  them  shall  be  found,  as  well  in  printers,, 
houses  and  shops,  as  elsewhere,  willing  you,  and  every  of 
you,  to  search   for  the  same,  in  all  places,  according  to 
your  discretions. 

"  And,  also,  to  inquire,  hear,  and  determine,  all  and 
singular  enormities,  disturbances,  misbehaviours,  and 
negligences,  committed  in  any  church,  chapel,  or  other 


!*ERSECtJTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  455 

l^llovved  places,  within  this  realm  ;  and,  also,  for  and  con- 
cerning the  taking  away,  or  withholding  any  lands,  tene- 
ments, goods,  ornaments,  stocks  of  money,  or  other 
things  belonging  to  every  of  the  same  churches  and 
chapels,  and  all  accounts  and  reckonings  concerning  the 
same. 

**  And,  also,  to  inquire  and  search  out  all  such  persons 
as  obstinately  do  refuse  to  receive  the  blessed  sacrament  of 
the  altar,  to  hear  the  mass,  or  to  come  to  their  parish 
churches,  or  other  convenient  places  appointed  for  divine 
service ;  and  all  such  as  refuse  to  go  on  procession,  to 
take  holy  bread,  or  holy  water,  or  otherwise  do  misuse 
themselves  in  any  church,  or  other  hallowed  places^ 
wheresoever  any  of  the  said  offences  have  been,  or  hereaf- 
ter shall  be  committed,  within  this  our  said  realm. 

**  Nevertheless,  our  will  and  pleasure  are,  that  when^ 
and  as  often  as  any  person,  or  persons,  hereafter  bein^* 
called  or  convened  before  you,  do  obstinately  persist,  or 
stand  in  any  manner  of  heresy,  or  heretical  opinion,  that 
then  ye,  or  three  of  you,  do  immediately  take  order,  that 
the  same  person,  or  persons,  so  standing,  or  persisting, 
be  delivered  and  committed  to  his  ordinary,  there  to  b6 
used,  according  to  the  spiritual  and  ecclesiastical  laws. 

"And,  also,  we  give  unto  you  or  three  of  you,  full 
power  and  authority,  to  inquire  and  search  out  all  vaga- 
bonds,  and  masterless  men,  barrators,  quarrellers,  and 
suspected  persons,  abiding  within  our  city  of  London, 
and  ten  miles  compass  of  the  same,  and  all  assaults  and 
affrays  done  and  committed  within  the  same  city  and 
compass. 

"  And,  further,  to  search  out  all  wastes^  decays,  and 
ruins  of  churches,  chancels,  chapels,  personages,  and 
vicarages,  in  the  diocess  of  the  same,  being  within  this 
realm,  giving  you,  and  every  of  you,  full  power  and 
authority,  by  virtue  hereof,  to  hear  and  determine  the 
same,  and  all  other  offences  and  matters  above  specified 
and  rehearsed,  according  to  your  wisdoms,  consciences, 
and  discretions,  willing  and  commanding  you,  or  three  of 
you,  from  time  to  time,  to  use  and  devise  all  such  poliuc- 
ways  and  means,  for  the  trial  and  searching  out  of  tbq 

3  K 


434  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

premises,  as  by  you,  or  three  of  you,  shall  be  thought 
most  expedient  and  necessary  :  and,  upon  inquiry,  and 
due  proof  had,  known,  perceived,  and  tried  out,  by  the 
confession  of  the  parties,  or  by  sufficient  witnesses  before 
you,  or  three  of  you,  concerning  the  premises,  or  any 
part  thereof,  or  by  any  other  ways  or  means  requisite, 
to  give  and  award  such  punishment  to  the  offenders,  by 
fine,  imprisonment,  or  otherwise  ;  and  to  take  such  or- 
der for  redress  and  reformation  of  the  premises,  as  to 
your  wisdoms,  or  three  of  you,  shall  be  thought  meet  and 
convenient. 

"  Further,  willing  and  commanding  you,  and  every 
three  of  you,  in  case  you  shall  find  any  person,  or  per- 
sons, obstinate  or  disobedient,  either  in  their  appearance 
before  you,  or  three  of  you,  at  your  calUng  or  assign- 
ment, or  else  in  not  accomplishing,  or  not  obeying  your 
decrees,  orders,  and  commandments,  in  any  thing  or 
things,  touching  the  premises,  or  any  part  thereof,  to 
commit  the  same  person,  or  persons,  so  offending,  to 
ward,  there  to  remain,  till  by  you,  or  three  of  you,  he  be 
discharged  or  delivered,  &c." 


AccoiiJit  of  twenty-two  persons^  viz.  fourteen  men^  and 
eight  women^  who  were  all  apprehended  at  Colchester^ 
for  professing  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  brought  to- 
gether from  thence  to  London,  to  be  examined  by  bish- 
op Bonner, 

The  bloody  proclamation  before  mentioned,  which  was 
issued  on  the  8th  of  the  month  called  February,  1557, 
gave  the  new  inquisition  an  opportunity  of  extending 
their  horrid  ravages  ;  so  that  persecution  universally  pre- 
vailed, and  most  of  the  gaols  in  the  kingdom  were  crowd- 
ed with  prisoners. 

The  rage  of  persecution  was  particularly  prevalent,  in 
and  about  the  town  of  Colchester,  insomuch  that  twenty- 
three  persons  were  apprehended  together,  of  which  num- 
ber, only  one  escaped  ;  the  others  being  sent  up  to  Lon- 
don, in  order  to  abide  by  the  award  of  a  most  bloody  tri- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  435 

bunal.  They  consisted  of  fourteen  men  and  eight  wo- 
men, who  were  fastened  together,  with  a  chain  placed  be. 
tween  them,  each  holding  the  same  in  their  hands  and  be- 
ing at  the  same  time  tied  separately  with  a  cord  round  the 
arm.  On  their  entrance  into  the  city,  they  were  pinioned, 
and,  in  that  manner,  conducted  to  Newgate. 

Before  we  proceed  to  relate  farther  particulars  relative 
to  these  innocent  and  persecuted  people,  it  may  not  be 
improper,  in  order  to  give  the  reader  a  just  idea  of  that 
detested  persuasion  which  can  justify  such  horrid  cruelty 
and  injustice,  to  lay  before  our  readers  a  transcript  of  the 
popish  commissary's  letter  to  bishop  Bonner  on  this  oc- 
casion.    It  was  as  follows  : 


The  Commissary's  letter  to  Bonner  ^  bishop  of  London. 

"After  my  duty  done.,  in  receiving  and  accomplish- 
ing your  honourable  and  most  loving  letter,  dated  the  7th 
of  August,  be  it  known  unto  your  lordship,  that  the  28th  of 
August,  the  lord  of  Oxenford,  lord  Darcy,  H.  Tyrel,  A. 
Brown,  William  Bendelows,E.  Tyrel,  R.  Weston,  R.  Ap- 
pleton,  published  their  commission,  to  seize  the  lands,  ten- 
ements, any  goods  of  the  fugitives,  so  that  the  owners 
should  have  neither  use  nor  advantage  thereof,  but  by 
inventory  remain  safe  in  keeping,  until  the  cause  were 
determined. 

*'  And,  also,  there  was  likewise  proclaimed  the  queen's 
warrant,  for  the  restitution  of  the  church  goods  within 
Colchester,  and  the  hundreds  thereabout,  to  the  use  of 
God's  service.  And  then  were  called  the  parishes  par- 
ticularly, and  the  heretics  partly  committed  to  my  ex- 
amination. And  that  divers  persons  should  certify  mc 
of  the  ornaments  of  their  churclies,  betwixt  this  and 
thejustices  next  appearance,  which  shall  be  on  Michael- 
mas next.  And  the  parishes,  which  had  presented  at 
two  several  times,  to  have  all  ornaments  with  other 
things,  in  good  order,  were  exonerated  for  ever,  till 
they  were  warned  again,  and  others  to  make  their  ap- 


43^  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

pearanee  from  time  to  time.  And  those  names  blotted 
in  the  indenture,  were  indicted  for  treason,  fugitives,  or 
disobedients,  and  were  put  forth  by  Mr.  Brown's  com» 
mandment.  And,  before  the  sealing,  my  lord  Darcy  said 
unto  me  apart,  and  Mr.  Bendelows,  that  I  should  have 
sufficient  time  to  send  unto  your  lordship  ;  yea,  if  need 
were,  the  heretics  to  remain  in  durance,  till  I  had  an  an- 
swer from  you,  yea,  till  the  lord  legates  graces  commis^ 
sioners  come  into  the  country. 

"  And  Mr.  Brown  came  unto  my  lord  Darcy  ^s  house 
and  parlour,  belonging  unto  Mr.  Barnaby,  before  my 
said  lord,  and  all  the  justices,  and  laid  his  hand  on  my 
shoulder,  with  a  smiling  countenance,  and  desired  me  to 
make  his  hearty  commendations  to  your  good  lordship, 
^nd  asked  me,  if  I  would  :  and  I  said,  yea,  with  a  good 
will.  Wherefore,  I  was  glad,  and  thought  that  I  should 
not  have  been  charged  with  so  sudden  carriage. 

♦'  But,  after  dinner,  the  justices  counselled  with  the 
bailiffs,  and  with  the  gaolers,  and  then  after  took  me  un^ 
to  them,  and  made  collation  of  the  indentures,  and  sealed 
them  ;  and  then  Mr.  brown  commanded  me,  this  after- 
PQon,  being  the  30th  of  August,  to  go  and  receive 
my  prisoners  by  and  by.  And  then,  I  said,  it  is  an 
unreasonable  commandment,  for  that  I  have  attended 
on  you  here  these  three  days,  and  this  Sunday  early, 
I  have  sent  home  my  men.  Wherefore,  I  desire  you 
to  have  a  convenient  time  appointed,  wherein  I  may 
know,  whether  it  will  please  my  lord,  my  master,  to  send 
his  commissioners  hither^  or  that  I  should  make  carriage 
of  them  unto  his  lordship.  Then  Mr,  Brown  said,  we 
^re  certified  that  the  council  have  written  to  your  master 
to  make  speed,  and  to  rid  these  prisoners  out  of  hand  : 
therefore,  go,  receive  your  prisoners  in  haste.  I  answer- 
ed, sir,  I  shall  receive  them  within  these  ten  days.  Then 
Mr.  Brown  said,  the  limitation  lieth  in  us,  and  not  in  you, 
wherefore,  get  you  hence. 

y  *'  I  replied,  sir,  ye  have  indicted  and  delivered  me  by 
this  indenture,  whose  faith  or  opinions,  I  knew  not,  trust- 
ing that  ye  will  grant  me  a  time  to  examine  them,  lest  I 
should  punish  the  catliolics.     Well,    said  Mr.  Brown, 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  437 

for  that  cause,  ye  shall  have  time  betwixt  this  and  Wed- 
nesday. And,  I  say  unto  you,  Mr.  Bailifts,  if  he  do  not 
receive  them -at  your  hands  on  Wednesday,  set  open  your 
door,  and  let  them  go. 

''  Then  I  said,  my  lord,  and  masters  all,  I  promise  to 
discharge  the  town  and  country  of  these  heretics  within 
these  ten  days.  The  lord  Darcy  answered,  commissary, 
we  do  and  must  all  agree  in  one.  Wherefore,  do  ye  re- 
c-eive  them  on  or  before  Wednesday. 

'To  which,  I  replied,  my  lord,  the  last  I  carried,  I  was 
going  betwixt  the  castle,  and  St.  Catharine's  chapel,  two 
hours  and  a  half,  and  in  great  press  and  danger  :  Avhere- 
fore,  this  may  be  to  desire  your  lordship,  to  give  in  com- 
mandment unto  Mr.  Sayer,  my  baliff,  here  present,  to 
aid  me  through  his  liberties,  not  only  wdth  men  and  wea- 
pons, but  that  the  town- clerk  may  be  ready  there  with 
his  book  to  write  the  names  of  the  most  busy  persons  ; 
and  this  upon  three  hours'  warning ;  all  which,  both  my 
lord  and  Mr.  Brown  commanded. 

''  The  31st  of  August,  William  Goodwin,  of  Much- 
birch,  husbandman,  this  bringer,  and  Thomas  Alsey  of 
Copford  ;  your  lordship's  apparator  of  your  consistory  in 
Colchester,  covenanted  with  me,  that  they  should  hire 
two  other  men  at  the  least  ;  whereof  one  should  be  a 
bow- man,  to  come  to  me  the  next  day,  about  two  of  the 
clock  in  the  afternoon,  so  that  I  might  recite  this  bargain 
before  Mr.  Archdeacon  ;  and  pay  the  money,  that  is  for- 
ty-six  shillings  and  eight  pence.  Wherefore,  they  should 
then  go  forth  with  me  unto  Colchester,and,on  Wednesday, 
before  three  of  the  clock,  in  the  morning,  receive  there  at 
my  hand  within  the  castle  and  mote-hall,  fourteen  men 
and  eight  women,  bound  with  cords  and  fetters,  and  drive, 
carry,  or  lead,  and  feed  with  meat  and  drink,  as  heretics 
ought  to  be  found  continually,  unto  such  time  that  the 
said  Goodwin  and  Alfsey  shall  cause  the  said  two  and 
twenty  persons  to  be  delivered  unto  my  lord  of  London's 
officers,  and  within  the  safe  keeping  of  my  said  lord,  and 
then  to  bring  unto  me  again  the  said  fetters  with  a  per- 
feet  token  of,  or  from  my  said  lord,  and  then  tliis  cove 
nant  is  void,  or  else,  &c." 


438  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

"  Mr.  Bendelows  said  unto  me,  in  my  lord  of  Oxen- 
ford's  chamber,  at  the  king's  head,  after  I  had  said  mass 
before  the  lords,  that,  on  the  morrow,  after  holy-rood  day, 
when  we  shall  meet  at  Chelmsford,  for  the  division  of 
these  lands,  I  think,  Mr.  Archdeacon,  you,  and  Mr. 
Smith  shall  be  fain  to  ride  with  certain  of  the  jury  to  those 
portions  and  manors  in  your  part  of  Essex  ;  and,  in  like 
case,  divide  yourselves,  to  tread  and  view  the  ground  with 
the  quest,  or  else  I  think  they  will  not  labour  the  matter, 
and  so  do  you  say,  unto  Mr.  Archdeacon." 

"  Alice,  the  wife  of  William  Walley,  of  Colchester, 
hath  submitted  herself,  abjured  her  erroneous  opinions, 
asked  absolution,  promised  to  do  her  solem  n  penance  in 
her  parish  church  at  St.  Peter's,  on  Sunday  next,  and  to 
'Continue  a  Catholic  and  a  faithful  woman,  as  long  as  God 
shall  send  her  life.  And,  for  these  covenants,  her  husband 
standeth  bound  in  five  pouixls.  Which  Alice  is  one  of 
the  nine  w*omen  of  this  your  indenture,  and  she  is  big 
Avith  child.  Wherefore,  she  5remaineth  at  home,  and 
this  done  in  the  presence  of  the  baliffs,  alderman,  and 
town  clerk.  And  because  Mr  Brown  was  certified  there 
was  no  curate  at  Lexdon,  he  inquired  who  was  the  form- 
er ?  The  answer  was  made,  sir  Francis  Jobson.  Who 
is  the  parson  ?  They  of  the  questmen  answered,  sir  Roger 
Ghostlow.  When  was  he  with  you  ?  Not  these  fourteen 
vears.  How  is  your  cure  served  ?  Now  and  then.  Who 
is  the  patron?  My  lord  of  Arundel.  And,  within  short 
time  after.  Sir  Francis  Jobson  came  with  great  courtesy 
unto  my  lord  Darcy's  place.  And,  of  all  gentlemen  about 
us,  I  saw  no  more  come  in." 

'*  Sir  Robert  Smith,  priest,  sometime  canon  of  Brid- 
hngton,  now  canon  of  Appledoore,  in  the  wild  of  Kent, 
came  to  Colchester,  the  28th  day  of  August,  with  his 
wife  big  with  child,  of  late  divorced,  taken  on  suspicion, 
examined  by  the  lords ;  and  Mr.  Brown  told  me,  that  they 
have  received  letters  from  the  detachment  of  certain  per- 
sons, especially  of  one  priest,  whose  name  is  Pullen,  (but 
his  right  name  is  Smith)  doubting  this  priest  to  be  the 
said  Pullen,  although  neither  lie,  nor  his  wife,  would  con- 
fess the  same." 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  4'39 

**  Wherefore,  he  lieth  still  in  prison  ;  but  surely  this  is 
not  PuUen.  If  it  please  your  lordship  to  have  in  remem- 
brance, that  the  householder  might  be  compelled  to 
bring  every  man  his  own  wife  to  her  own  seat  in  the 
church,  in  the  time  of  divine  service,  it  would  profit 
much. 

**  And,  also,  there  be  yet  standing  hospitals,  and  others 
of  like  foundation,  about  Colchester,  which  I  have  not 
known  to  appear  at  any  visitation,  as  masters  and  lazars 
©f  St.  Mary  Magdalene,  in  Colchester,  the  proctor 
of  St.  Catharine's  chapel  in  Colchester,  the  hospital  or 
breadhouse  of  the  foundation  of  the  lord  H.  Harney  in 
Laermarny,  the  hospital  and  headman  of  Little  Horsley. 

*'  Thus,  presuming  on  your  lordship's  goodness,  I  am 
more  than  bold  to  trouble  you  with  this  worldly  business, 
beseeching  Almighty  God  to  send  your  honourable  lord- 
ship a  condign  reward. 

"  We  found  a  letter,  concerning  the  marriage  of 
priests,  in  the  hands  of  the  aforesaid  sir  Robert  Smith. 
Also,  I  desired  Mr.  Brown,  the  doer  of  all  things,  to  re- 
quire the  audience  to  bring  in  their  unlawful  writings  or 
books,  who  asked  me,  if  I  had  proclaimed  the  proclama- 
tion ?  I  said  yea.  Then  he  said  openly  upon  the  bench, 
that  they  should  be  proclaimed  once  every  quarter.  And 
then  take  the  constables  and  officers,  and  they  alone  take 
and  punish  the  offenders  accordingly. 

By  your  poor  Beadman, 

John   Kingston,  Priest. 

Easthrop,  this  3()t/i  day  of  August,'^ 

An  Indenture  made  between  the  Lords  and  Justices  xvith- 
in  specified,  and  Bonner's  Commissary^  concerning  the 
delivery  of  the  prisoners  before -mentioned, 

"This  indenture  made  the  nineteenth  of  August,  in  the 
third  and  fourth  years  of  the  reign  of  our  sovereign  lord 
and  lady  Philip  and  Mary,  by  the  grace  of  God,  king  and 
queen  of  England,  Spain,  France,  both  Sicilies,  Jerusa- 
lem, and  Ireland,  defenders  of  the  faith,  archdukes  of  Aus- 


440  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

tria,  dukes  of  Burgundy,  Millain,  and  Brabant,  counties  of 
Hasburgh,  Flanders,  and  Tyrol,  between  the  right  hon- 
ourable lord  John  de  Vere,  earl  of  Oxford,  lord  high 
chamberlain  of  England,  Thomas  lord  Darcy  of  Chich, 
Henry  Tirel,  knight,  Anthony  Brown,  the  king  and 
queen's  serjeant  at  law,  William  Bendeiows,  serjeant  at 
law,  Edmund  Tirel,  Richard  Weston,  Roger  Appleton, 
Esqrs.  justices  of  oyer  and  terminer,  and  of  the  peace, 
within  the  said  county  of  Essex,  to  be  kept,  of  the  one 
party  ;  and  John  Kingston,  clerk,  bachelor  at  law,  com- 
missary to  the  bishop  of  London,  of  the  other  party,  wit- 
nesseth,  that  Ro.  Coleman,  of  Walton,  in  the  county  of 
Essex,  labourer — Joan  Winseley,  of  Horseley,  Magna, 
in  the  said  county,  spinster — Stephen  Glover,  of  Rayley, 
in  the  county  aforesaid,  glover — Richard  Gierke,  of 
Much-Holland,  in  the  said  county,  mariner — William 
Maunt,  of  Much-Bentley,  in  the  said  county,  husband- 
man— Thomas  Winseley,  of  Much- Horseley,  in  the 
said  county,  sawyer — Margaret  Field,  of  Ramsey,  in  the 
said  county,  spinster — Aliace  Munt,  of  Much-Bentley, 
in  the  said  county,  spinster — Agnes  Whitlock,  of  Dov- 
er-court, in  the  said  county,  spinster — Rose  AUin,  of  the 
same  county,  spinster — Richard  Bongoer,  of  Colchester, 
in  the  said  county,  currier — Richard  Atkin,  of  Halstead, 
in  the  said  county,  weaver — Robert  Barcock,  of  Wiston, 
in  the  county  of  Suftblk,  carpenter — Richard  Geor^o^e,  of 
Westbarhoult,  in  the  county  of  Essex,  labourer — Rich- 
ard Jolly,  of  Colchester,  in  the  said  county,  mariner — 
Thomas  Firefanne,  of  the  same  town  and  county,  mercer 
— Robert  Debnam,  late  of  Debnam,  n  the  said  county, 
weaver — Cicely  Warren,  of  Cocksail,  in  the  said  county, 
spinster — Christian  Pepper,  widow,  of  the  same  town  and 
county — AUin  Sampson,  and  Alice,  the  wife  of  William 
Wallis,  of  Colchester,  spinster — -William  Bongeor,  of  Col- 
chester, in  the  said  county,  glazier — being  indicted  of 
heresy,  are  delivered  to  the  said  John  Kingston,  clerk,  or- 
dinary to  the  bishop  of  London,  according  to  the  statute 
in  that  case  provided. 

In  witness  whereof,  to  one  part  of  this  indenture  re- 
maining with  the  said  earl,  lord,  and  other  the  justices. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  44l 

thje  said  ordinary  hath  set  to  his  hand  and  seal ;  and  to  the 
other  part  remaining  with  the  said  ordinary,  the  said 
earl,  lord,  and  other  the  justices,  have  set  to  their  sever- 
al  hands  and  seals,  the  day  and  year  above- written. 

"  Oxenford,  Thomas  Darcy,  Henry  Tyrel,  Anthony 
Brown,  William  Bendelows,  Edmund  Tyrel,  Richard 
Weston,  Roger  Appleton." 

The  twenty-two  persons  before-mentioned,  sent  from 
Colchester  to  London,  were,  at  length,  brought  before 
bishop  Bonner,  who  examined  them  separately  with  res- 
pect to  their  faith  ;  but  he  did  not  choose  to  proceed  a- 
gainst  them,  till  he  had  sent  the  following  letter  to  car- 
dinal Pole : 


A  Letter  from  Bishop  Bonnet  to  Cardinal  Pole. 

"  May  it  please  your  grace,  with  my  most  humble 
obedience,  reverence,  and  duty,  to  understand,  that  go» 
ing  to  London,  upon  Thursday  last,  and  thinking  to  be 
troubled  with  Mr.  German's  matter  only,  and  such  oth- 
er common  matters  as  are  accustomed,  enough  to  weary 
a  right  strong  body,  I  had  the  day  following,  to  comfort 
my  stomach  withal,  letters  from  Colchester,  that  either 
that  day,  or  the  day  following,  I  should  have  sent  there 
twenty-two  heretics,  indicted  before  the  comissioners ; 
and,  indeed,  so  I  had,  and  compelled  to  bear  their  charges, 
as  I  did  of  the  others  ;  a  sum  of  money  that  I  thought  full 
evil  bestowed.  And  these  heretics,  notwithstanding 
they  had  honest  catholic  keepers  to  conduct  and  bring 
them  up  to  me,  and,  in  all  the  way  from  Colchester  to 
Stradford-bow,  did  go  quietly  and  obediently,  yet  com- 
ing to  Stratford,  they  began  to  take  heart  of  grace,  and 
to  do  as  they  pleased  themselves,  for  they  began  to  have 
their  guard  which  generally  increased,  till  they  came  to 
Aldgate,  where  they  were  lodged,  Friday  night. 

*'  And  albeit,  I  took  order,  that  the  said  heretics  should 
be  with  me  early  on  Saturday  morning,  to  the  intent  they 
might  quietly  come,  and  be  examined  by  me  ;  yet  it  was 
between  ten  and  eleven  of  the  clock  before  they  would 


442  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

come,  and  no  way  would  they  take  but  through  Cheap- 
side,  so  that  they  were  brought  to  my  house  with  a  thou- 
sand persons.  Which  thing  I  took  very  strange,  and 
spake  to  sir  John  Gresham,  then  being  with  me,  to  tell 
the  mayor  and  the  sheriffs,  that  this  thing  was  not  well 
suffered  in  the  city.  These  nauglity  heretics,  all  the 
way  they  came  through  Cheapside,  both  exhorted  the 
people  to  their  part,  and  had  much  comfort  from  the 
promiscuous  multitude ;  and,  being  entered  into  my 
house,  and  talked  withal,  they  shewed  themselves  des- 
perate, and  very  obstinate  ;  yet  I  used  all  the  honest 
means  I  could,  both  of  myself  and  others,  to  have  won 
them,  causing  divers  learned  men  to  talk  with  them  ;  and 
finding  nothing  in  them  but  pride  and  wilfulness,  I 
thought  to  have  them  all  hither  to  Fulham,  and  here  to 
give  sentence  against  them.  Nevertheless,  perceiving, 
by  my  last  doing,  that  your  grace  was  offended,  I  thought 
it  my  duty,  before  I  any  farther  proceeded  herein,  to  ad- 
vertise first  your  grace  hereof,  and  know  your  good  pleas- 
ure, which  I  beseech  your  grace  I  may  do  by  this  trusty 
bearer.  And  thus,  most  humbly,  I  take  my  leave  of 
your  good  grace,  beseeching  Almighty  God,  always  to 
preserve  the  same.     At  Fulham,  A.  D.  1557. 

*'  Your  grace's  most  bounden  beadsman,  and  servant, 

Edmund  Bonner," 

From  the  contents  of  this  letter,  we  evidently  see  the 
persecuting  spirit  of  the  blood-thirsty  Bonner,  who  was 
manifestly  desirous  of  glutting  himself  with  the  massa- 
cre of  those  innocent  persons. 

Cardinal  Pole,  though  a  papist,  was  a  man  of  modera-' 
tion  and  humanity,  as  appears,  not  only  by  his  endeavour 
to  mitigate  the  fury  of  Bonner,  but  also  by  several  of  his 
letters  directed  to  archbishop  Cranmer,  as  well  as  many 
complaints  alleged  against  him  to  the  pope,  for  his  lenity 
towards  the  heretics. 

Nay,  so  incensed  was  his  holiness  at  his  proceedings, 
that  he  ordered  him  up  to  Rome,  and  would  have  pro- 
ceeded against  him  most  rigorously,  had  not  queen  Ma- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  443 

ry  interposed  in  his  behalf,  and  warded  off  the  danger  that 
threatened  him. 

It  was  shrewdly  suspected,  that  the  cardinal,  a  short  time 
before  his  coming  from  Rome  to  England,  began  to  favour 
the  opinion  and  doctrine  of  Luther. 

But,  to  return  to  die  immediate  account  of  our  martyrs, 
who  would  certainly  have  all  suffered,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  interposition  of  cardinal  Pole. 

It  would  exceed  the  limits  of  our  work,  and  be  tedious 
to  the  reader,  were  we  minutely  to  relate  the  articles  tliat 
were  respectively  administered  to  each,  and  their  several 
answers  to  the  same.  We  shall,  therefore,  confine  our- 
selves to  that  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  on  wluch  they  were 
principally  examined.  , 


General  confession  of  these  persons,  concerning  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

**  Whereas  Christ,  at  his  last  supper,  took  bread,  and, 
when  he  had  given  thanks,  he  brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  his 
disciples,  and  said,  '  take,  eat,  this  is  my  body.'  And  like- 
wise took  the  cup,  and  thanked,  &:c.  We  do  understand 
it  to  be  a  figurative  speech,  as  the  common  manner  of  his 
language  was  in  parables,  and  dark  sentences,  that  they 
which  were  carnally-minded,  should  see  with  their  eyes, 
and  not  understand  ;  signifying  this,  that  as  he  did  break 
the  bread  among  them,  being  but  one  loaf,  and  they  all  did 
partake  thereof,  so  we,  through  his  body,  in  that  it  was 
broken  and  offered  on  the  cross  for  us,  are  all  partakers 
thereof;  and  his  blood  cleanseth  us  from  our  sins,  and  hath 
pacified  God's  wrath  towards  us,  and  made  the  atonement 
bet^^•een  God  and  us,  if  we  walk  henceforth  in  the  light, 
even  as  he  is  in  the  true  light. 

*'  And  that  he  said  further,  *  do  this  in  remembrance  of 
me'  ;  it  is  a  memorial  and  token  of  the  suffering  and  death 
of  Jesus  Christ  :  and  he  commanded  it  for  this  cause,  that 
the  followers  of  Christ  should  come  together  to  shew  his 
death,  and  to  thank  him  for  his  benefits,  and  magnify  his 
holy  name  ;  and  so  to  break  bread,  and  drink  the  wine,  in 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

remembrance  that  Christ  had  given  his  body,  and  shed  his 
blood  for  us. 

"  Thus,  you  may  well  perceive,  though  Christ  called  the 
bread  his  body,  and  wine  his  blood,  yet  it  followeth  not, 
that  the  substance  of  his  body  should  be  in  the  bread  and 
wine,  as  divers  places  in  scripture  are  spoken  by  the  apos- 
tles, in  like  phrase  of  speech,  as  in  John  xv.  ^  I  am  the 
true  vine.'  Also  in  John  x.  *  I  am  the  door.'  And  as  it 
is  written  in  the  ninth  chapter  to  the  Hebrews,  and  in  Ex- 
pdus  xxiv.  how  Moses  took  the  blood  of  calves,  and 
sprinkled  both  the  book,  and  all  the  people,  saying,  '  this 
is  the  blood  of  the  covenant  or  testament.'  And,  also,  in  the 
fifth  chapter  of  Ezekiel,  how  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  con- 
ijerning  the  third  part  of  his  hair,  say,  '  this  is  Jerusalem,* 
he. 

*^  Thus,  we  see  how  the  scriptures  speak  in  figures,  and 
ought  to  be  spiritually  examined,  and  not  as  they  would 
J^ave  us  to  say,  that  the  bodily  presence  of  Christ  is  in  the 
bread,  which  is  a  blasphemous  understanding  of  the  word, 
and  contrary  to  the  holy  scriptures. 

'^  Also,  we  see,  that  great  idolatry  is  sprung  out  of  the 
misunderstanding  of  the  words  of  Christ,  '  this  is  my  bo- 
^y,'  and  yet  daily  springeth  to  the  great  dishonour  of  God; 
^o  that  men  worship  a  piece  of  bread  for  God ;  yea,  and 
hold  that  to  be  their  maker." 

After  this  confession  of  their  faith  and  doctrine  was  writ- 
fen  and  exhibited,  they  also  drew  up  a  letter  in  form  of  a 
short  supplication,  or  rather  an  admonition  to  the  judges 
and  commissioners,  requiring  that  justice  and  judgment, 
fifter  the  rule  of  God's  word,  might  be  administered  unto 
|hem.     The  copy  of  the  letter  is  as  follows  : 


^  supplication  of  the  prisoners  to  the  Judges. 

*^  To  the  right  honourable  audience,  before  whom  our 
writings  and  the  confession  of  our  faith  shall  come;  we  poor 
prisoners,  being  fast  in  bonds  upon  the  trial  of  our  faith, 
which  we  offer  to  be  tried  by  the  scriptures,  pray  most 
jieartilyj  that^  forasmuch  as  God  hath  given  you  power  and 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  445 

-Strength  over  us  as  concerning  our  bodies,  under  whom 
we  submit  ourselves  as  obedient  subjects  in  all  things,  yet 
being  officers  and  rulers  of  the  people,  may  execute  true 
judgment,  keep  the  laws  of  righteousness,  govern  the  peo* 
pie,  and  defend  the  cause  of  the  poor  and  helpless. 

"  God,  for  his  Son  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  give  you  the 
wisdom  and  understanding  of  Solomon,  David,  Hezekiih, 
Moses,  with  divers  other  most  virtuous  rulers,  by  whose 
wisdom  and  godly  understanding,  the  people  were  justly 
ruled  and  governed  in  the  fear  God,  all  wickedness  was  by 
them  overthrown  and  beaten  down,  and  all  godliness  cind 
virtue  did  flourish  and  spring.  O  God,  which  art  the  most 
high,  the  creator  and  maker  of  all  things,  and  of  all  men, 
both  great  and  small,  and  carest  for  all  alike,  who  dost  try 
all  men's  works  and  imaginations,  before  whose  judgment- 
seat  shall  come  both  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor ;  u  e 
most  humbly  beseech  thee,  to  put  into  our  rulers'  hearts 
the  pure  love  and  fear  of  thy  name,  that  even  as  they  them- 
selves would  be  judged,  and  as  they  shall  make  answer  be= 
fore  thee,  so  they  may  hear  our  causes,  judge  with  mercy, 
and  read  over  these  our  requests  and  confessions  of  our 
faith,  with  deliberation,  and  a  godly  judgment. 

''  And,  if  any  thing  here  seemeth  to  you.to  be  erroneous 
or  disagreeing  with  the  scripture,  if  it  shall  please  your 
lordships  to  hear  us  patiendy  which  do  offer  ourselves  to 
be  tried  by  the  scriptures,  thereby  to  make  answer  ;  and, 
in  so  doing,  we  poor  subjects  being  in  much  captivity  and 
bondage,  are  bound  to  pray  for  your  noble  estate  and  long 
preservation." 

Notwithstanding  the  request  of  those  men  was  so  just, 
and  their  doctrine  so  sound,  yet  the  bishop,  and  the  other 
judges,  would  have  passed  sentence  on  them,  had  it  not 
been  for  cardinal  Pole,  and  some  others,  who  thought  the 
putting  to  death  so  many  together  would  produce  a  cabal 
among  the  people.  It  was  therefore  decreed,  that  they 
should  make  submission,  or  confession,  such  as  they  would 
themselves  and  be  discharged.  This  they  readily  agreed 
to  J  and  their  submission  was  made  in  the  following  form  : 


446  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  submission  or  confession  of  the  aforesaid  prisoners. 

"  Because  our  Saviour,  at  his  last  supper,  took  bread, 
and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he  brake  it,  and  gave  it  un- 
to his  disciples,  and  said,  '  take,  eat,  this  is  my  body  which 
is  given  for  you,  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me.'  There- 
fore, according  to  the  words  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
we  do  believe  in  the  sacrament  to  be  spiritually  Christ's 
body.  And,  likewise,  he  took  the  cup,  gave  thanks,  and 
gave  it  to  his  disciples,  and  said,  '  this  is  my  blood  of  the 
New  Testament  which  is  shed  for  many.' 

"  Therefore,  likewise,  we  do  believe,  that  it  is  spiritual- 
ly the  blood  of  Christ,  according  as  his  church  doth  ad- 
minister the  same.  Unto  which  catholic  church  of  Christ, 
w^e  do  in  like,  as  in  all  other  matters,  submit  ourselves, 
promising  therein  to  live  as  it  becometh  good  christian: 
men,  and,  herein  this  realm,  to  beliave  ourselves  as  becom- 
eth faithful  subjects  unto  our  most  gracious  king  and  queen, 
and  to  all  other  superiors,  both  spiritual  and  temporal,  ac- 
cording to  our  bounden  duties." 

The  whole  twenty-two  persons  brought  from  Colchester, 
respectively  subscribed  their  names  to  this  submission  ;  as 
did  also  six  others  who  had  been  apprehended  in  London, 
and  were  brought  with  them  for  their  examination.  The 
names  of  the  whole  were  as  follows  : 

John  Atkin,  Allin  Sympson,  Richard  George,  Thomas 
Firefanne,  W.  Maunt,  Richard  Jolly,  Richard  Gratwicke, 
Thomas  Winseley , Richard  Rothe,  Richard  Clerke,  Stephen 
Glover,  Robert  Coleman,  Thomas  Merse,  William  Bon- 
geor,  Robert  Barcock,  Margaret  Hyde,  Elyn  Euring, 
Christian  Pepper,  Margaret  Field,  Alice  Munt,  Joan  Win- 
seley, Cicely  Warren,  Rose  Allin,  Ann  Whitlocke,  George 
Barker,  John  Saxby,  Thomas  Locker,  and  Alice  Locker. 

In  consequence  of  this  submission,  they  were  all  imme- 
diately set  at  liberty  ;  though  several  of  them  were  after- 
wards apprehended,  and  put  to  death.  One  of  the  women, 
namely,  Margaret  Hyde,  escaped  their  resentment  but  a 
short  time,  being  one  in  the  list  we  have  next  to  mention, 
who  suifered  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  447 

The  sufferings  and  Martyrdoms  of  Thomas  Losebijy  Henrij 
Ramsey,  Thomas  Thyrtell,  Margaret  Hyde,  and  Agnes 
Stanley,  who  were  all  burnt  together  in  Smithjield, 

The  popish  emissaries  having  laid  information  against 
these  five  persons,  they  were  all  apprehended  ;  and,  being 
examined  by  several  justices  of  tlie  county  of  Essex,  in 
which  they  resided,  were  by  them  sent  up  to  the  bishop  of 
London,  for  examination.  On  their  arrival,  the  bishop 
referred  them  to  the  chancellor,  who,  after  propounding  to 
them  the  articles,  usual  on  the  occasion,  in  the  diocess  of 
London,  committed  them  all  to  Newgate. 

After  being  imprisoned  about  three  months,  by  order  of 
the  chancellor,  they  were  summoned  to  appear  before  the 
bishop  himself,  when  the  following  singular  articles  were 
exhibited  against  them  : 

1.  That  they  thought,  believed,  and  declared,  within 
some  part  of  the  city  and  diocess  of  London,  that  tlie  faith, 
religion,  and  ecclesiastical  service  here  observed  and  kept, 
as  it  is  in  the  realm  of  England,  was  not  a  true  and  laudable 
faith,  religion,  and  service,  especially  concerning  the  mass 
and  the  seven  sacraments,  nor  were  they  agreeable  to  God's 
word ;  and,  that  they  could  not,  ^vit]lout  grudging  and 
scruple,  receive  and  use  it,  nor  conform  themselves  unto 
it,  as  other  subjects  of  this  realm  customarily  have  done. 

2.  They  had  thought,  &:c.  that  the  English  service,  set 
forth  in  the  time  of  king  Edward  the  sixth,  in  this  realm  of 
England,  was  good,  godly,  and  catholic,  in  all  points,  and 
that  it  alone  ought  here  in  this  realm  to  be  received,  used, 
and  practised,  and  none  other. 

3.  They  had  thought,  &c.  that  they  Avere  not  bound  to 
their  parish  church,  and  there  to  be  present  at  mattins, 
mass,  even-song,  and  divine  service. 

4.  They  had  thought,  &:c.  that  they  were  not  bound  to 
come  to  procession  to  the  church,  upon  times  appointed, 
and  to  go  in  the  same,  with  others  of  the  parish,  singing  or 
saying  the  accustomed  prayers  used  in  the  church,  nor  to 
bear  a  taper  or  candle,  on  Candlcmasday,  nor  take  ashes 
on  Ash-Wednesday,  nor  bear  palms  on  Palm-Sunday,  nor 
to  creep  to  the  cross  upon  days  accustomed,  nor  to  rccei\  e 


448  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

holy  water  and  holy  bread,  or  to  accept  or  allow  the  cere^ 
monies  and  usages  of  the  church,  after  the  manner  in  which 
they  were  then  used  in  this  realm. 

5.  That  they  had  thought,  &c.  that  they  were  not  bound, 
at  any  time,  to  confess  their  sins  to  any  priest,  and  to  re- 
ceive absolution  at  his  hands  as  God's  minister,  nor  to  re- 
ceive, at  any  time,  the  blessed  sacrament  of  the  altar,  espe- 
cially as  it  is  used  in  the  church  of  England. 

6.  That  they  had  thought,  &c.  that  in  matters  of  religion 
and  faith,  they  were  bound  to  follow  and  believe  their  own 
consciences  only,  and  not  credit  the  determination  and  com- 
mon order  of  the  catholic  church,  and  see  of  Rome,  nor 
any  member  thereof. 

7.  That  they  had  thought,  Sec.  that  the  fashion  and  man- 
ner of  christening  uifants,  are  not  agreeable  to  God's  word, 
and  that  none  can  be  effectually  baptized,  and  therefore  sav- 
ed, except  they  are  arrived  to  years  of  discretion  to  believe 
themselves,  and  willingly  accept,  or  refuse,  baptism  at  his 
pleasure. 

8.  That  they  had  thought,  &c.  that  prayers  to  saints,  or 
prayer  for  the  dead,  were  not  available,  nor  allowable  by 
God's  word;  and  that  souls  departed  this  life  do  immediate- 
ly go  to  heaven  or  hell,  or  else  do  sleep  till  the  day  of  doom: 
so  that  there  is  no  place  of  purgation  at  all. 

9.  That  they  had  thought,  Sec.  that  all  those,  who  in  the 
time  of  king  Henry  VIII,  or  in  the  time  of  queen  Maryj 
the  present  sovereign  of  England,  had  been  burned  as  he- 
retics, were  no  heretics,  but  faithful,  sincere  christians  ;  es- 
pecially Barnes,  Garret,  Jerome,  Frith,  Rogers,  Hooper, 
Cardmaker,  Latimer,  Taylor,  Cranmer,  Ridley,  &c.  and 
that  they  did  allow  and  approve  all  their  opinions,  and  dis- 
approved their  condemnations  and  burnings. 

10.  That  they  had  thought,  8>cc.  that  fasting  and  prayers 
used  in  the  church  of  England,  and  the  appointing  a  day 
for  fasting  and  abstaining  from  flesh  upon  fasting  days,  es- 
pecially in  the  time  of  Lent,  are  not  laudable  nor  allowable, 
by  God's  word,  and  that  men  ought  to  have  liberty,  all 
)times,  to  eat  all  kind  of  meat. 

11.  That  they  had  thought,  &c.  that  the  sacrament  of 
the  altar  is  an  idol ;  and  to  reserve,  keep,  and  honour  it,  is 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS*  449 

idolatry  and  superstition,  as  were  also^the  mass  and  elevation 
of  the  sacrament. 

12.  That  they  had  thought,  &c.  that  they  were  not 
bound  to  be  convened  before  an  ecclesiastical  judge,  con- 
cerning matters  of  faith,  nor  to  make  answer  at  all,  especial- 
ly upon  oath  on  a  book. 

The  first,  second,  third,  fourth,  fifth,  eighth,  and  ninth, 
they  granted,  in  general,  excepting  that  they  denied  the 
souls  departed  to  sleep  till  the  day  of  judgment,  as  men- 
tioned in  the  eighth  article. 

With  respect  to  the  sixth  article  objected  to  them,  they 
thought  themselves  bound  to  believe  the  true  catholic 
church,  so  far  as  it  instructed  them  according  to  God's  ho- 
ly word,  but  not  to  follow  the  determinations  of  the  super- 
stitious church  of  Rome. 

Concerning  the  eighth  and  twelfth  articles,  they  denied 
that  they  ever  maintained  any  such  absurd  opinions,  but 
granted  that  man  of  himself,  without  the  aid  and  assistance 
of  God's  spirit,  had  no  power  to  do  any  thing  acceptable  in 
the  sight  of  God. 

To  the  tenth  article,  they  answered,  that  true  fasting  and 
prayer  used,  according  to  God's  word,  were  allowable,  and 
approved  in  his  sight ;  and,  tliat  by  the  same  Avord,  every 
faithful  man  may  eat  all  meats,  at  all  times,  with  thanks- 
giving to  God  for  the  same. 

Having  given  these  answers,  they  were  dismissed,  and 
conveyed  to  their  respective  places  of  confinement,  where 
they  remained  till  they  were  again  brought  before  the  bish- 
op, who  made  no  other  inquiry,  than  whether  they  would 
abjure  their  heretical  opinions  ;  and,  on  their  refusal,  again 
dismissed  them. 

At  length,  they  were  brouglit  into  the  public  consistory- 
court  at  St.  Paul's,  and  severally  demanded  what  they  had 
to  allege,  why  sentence  of  condemnation  should  oot  be 
pronounced  against  them. 

Thomas  Loseby  being  first  questioned,  thus  replied, 
*'  God  give  me  grace  to  withstand  you,  your  sentence,  and 
your  law,  which  devours  the  flock  of  Christ ;  for  I  perceive 
death  is  my  certain  portion,  unless  I  will  consent  to  believe 
in  that  accursed  idol  the  mass." 

3  ^t 


4^Q  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Thomas  Thyrtell  being  next  examined,  said,  "  my  lord, 
if  you  make  me  a  heretic,  you  make  Christ  and  the  twelve 
apostles  all  heretics ;  for  I  hold  one  and  the  same  faith  with 
them,  and  I  will  abide  in  that  faith,  being  assured  that  it 
will  obtain  for  me  everlasting  life." 

Henry  Ramsey,  being  required  to  recant,  answered, 
"  my  lord,  would  you  have  me  abjure  the  truth  ;  and,  for 
fear  of  death  here,  forfeit  eternal  felicity  hereafter  ?" 

Margaret  Hyde,  being  questioned,  replied,  "  my  lord, 
you  have  no  cause  to  pronounce  sentence  against  me,  for 
I  am  in  the  true  faith,  nor  will  ever  forsake  it ;  and  I  wish  I 
was  more  confirmed  in  it  than  I  am." 

Agnes  Stanley,  the  last  examined,  said,  '*  My  lord, 
I  would  suffer  every  hair  of  my  head  to  be  burned,  be- 
fore I  would  renounce  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  his  holy 
gospel." 

The  court  now  broke  up,  but  was  convened  again  in  the 
afternoon,  when  the  prisoners  appeared,  and  were  again 
severally  examined. 

Thomas  Loseby  being  first  called  upon,  his  articles  and 
answers  were  read  ;  after  which,  many  attempts  were  made 
to  bring  him  to  a  recantation  ;  but  he  persisted  in  his  faith, 
declaring  that  he  hoped  he  had  the  spirit  of  God,  which  had 
led  him  into  all  truth.  His  sentence  of  condemnation  was 
therefore  pronounced,  and  he  was  delivered  to  the  custody 
of  the  sheriff,  in  order  for  execution. 

Various  arguments  were  used  by  the  bishop  to  bring 
over  Margaret  Hyde  ;  but  she  declared,  she  would  not  de- 
part from  what  she  said  upon  any  penalty  whatever  ;  and 
added,  that  she  would  gladly  hear  his  lordship  instruct  her 
from  some  part  of  God's  word,  and  not  talk  to  her  con- 
cerning holy  bread  and  holy  water,  which  was  no  part  of 
God's  word. 

The  bishop,  finding  her  resolute,  pronounced  sentence 
on  her,  and  she  was  delivered  over  to  the  secular  power. 

Agnes  Stanley  was  also  admonished  to  return  to  the 
communion  of  the  holy  mother-church;  but  she  continued 
steadfast  in  her  faith,  declaring  she  was  no  heretic,  and 
that  those  who  were  burned,  as  the  papists  said,  for  heresy, 
were  true  martyrs  in  the  sight  of  God.     In  consequence 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  451 

of  this,  she  likewise  received  sentence  of  death,  and  was 
committed  to  the  care  of  the  sheriff. 

Thomas  Thyrtell  being  asked,  what  he  had  to  allege, 
answered,  "  my  lord,  I  will  not  hold  with  those  idola- 
trous opinions  you  would  inculcate  ;  for,  I  say,  the  mass  is 
idolatry,  and  I  will  abide  by  die  faith  of  Christ  as  long  as  I 
live." 

He  was  then  proceeded  against  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  former. 

Henry  Ramsey,  who  w^  last  called,  being  asked,  wheth- 
er he  would  stand  by  his  answers  as  the  rest  had  done,  or 
recant  and  become  a  new  member  of  the  church,  replied, 
*'  I  will  never  abjure  my  religion,  in  which  I  will  live,  and 
in  which  I  will  die." 

Their  examination  being  closed,  and  sentence  of  death 
passed  on  them  all,  they  were  immediately  conducted  to 
Newgate,  where  they  continued  till  the  12th  of  the  month 
called  April,  1557.  On  the  morning  of  that  day,  they  were 
conducted  to  Smithfield,  the  place  appointed  for  their  exe- 
cution, where,  being  fastened  to  two  stakes,  they  were 
burnt  in  one  fire,  praising  God  as  long  as  they  had  the 
power  of  speech,  and  cheerfully  giving  up  their  lives  in  tes" 
timony  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 


The  examination  and  persecution  of  Stephen  Gratwick, 
whoy  with   fVilliam  Morant,   arid  John  King,  suffered 
Martyrdom  in  St.  George^s  Fields,  in  the  county  of 
Surry, 

StephenGratwick  being  informed  against  by  some 
of  the  popish  emissaries,  on  a  suspicion  of  heresy,  was  ap- 
prehended, and  being  carried  before  a  justice  of  the  peace, 
was  committed  to  the  Marshalsea-prison,  where  he  contin- 
ued for  a  considerable  time. 

At  length,  he  was  brought  before  Dr.  White,  bishop  of 
Winchester,  in  St.  George's  church,  Southwark,  in  order 
to  answer  such  questions  as  he  should  state,  relative  to  his 
religious  opinions. 


452  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  bishop  first  asked  him,  if  he  would  revoke  the  here- 
sies which  he  had  maintained  and  defended  within  his  dio- 
cess ;  when  Gratwick  answering  in  the  negative,  he  admin- 
istered the  usual  articles,  desiring  him  to  give  an  ample 
ajnswer  to  each. 

These  articles  being  read,  Gratwick  replied,  "  my  lord, 
these  articles  are  of  your  making,  and  not  of  mine  ;  nor 
have  I  had  any  time  to  examine  them  ;  therefore,  I  desire 
the  liberty  of  lawful  appeal  to  mine  ordinary,  having  no 
concern  with  you." 

During  his  examination,  the  bishop  of  Rochester,  and 
the  archdeacon  of  Canterbury ,  arrived  ;  when,  on  a  consul^ 
tation  about  the  present  case,  it  was  agreed  to  introduce  a 
person  to  represent  the  ordinary  ;  which  being  done,  Grat- 
wick desired  leave  to  depart,  but  the  counterfeit  ordinary 
insisted  on  his  being  detained  ;  that  he  was  justly  sum- 
moned before  those  lords,  and  him,  on  trial  of  his  faith;  and 
that,  if  he  w^ould  confess  the  truth,  he  sho\ild  be  quietly  dis- 
missed, and  allowed  full  liberty. 

Gratwick  told  him,  that  he  would  turn  his  own  argu- 
ment upon  him  ;  for  Christ  came  befo.  e^lhe  high-priest, 
scribes,  and  pharisees,  bringing  the  truth"  with  him,  being 
the  very  truth  himself;  yet  both  he  and  his  truth  were 
condemned,  and  had  no  avail  with  them  ;  the  aposdes, 
likewise,  and  all  the  martyrs  that  died  since  Christ,  did  the 
same. 

The  bishop  of  Winchester  then  asked  his  opinion  con- 
cerning the  sacrament  of  the  altar  ;  to  which,  he  replied, 
"  my  lord,  I  do  verily  believe,  that  in  the  sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  truly  administered  in  both  kinds,  ac- 
cording to  the  institution  of  Christ,  unto  the  worthy  re* 
ceiver.  he  eateth  mystically,  by  faith,  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ." 

The  bishop  of  Rochester  observed,  that  this  definition 
was  a  mere  evasion  of  the  principal  points  ;  for  that  he 
separated  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  from  the  Supper  of  the 
Lord,  intimating  thereby,  that  the  former  was  not  the  true 
sacrament ;  and  also  condemned  their  method  of  adminis- 
tering it  in  one  kind,  as  well  as  hindered  the  unworthy  ro- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  453 

ceiver  to  eat  and  drink  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  which, 
if  duly  weighed,  were  points  of  the  highest  importance, 
though  he  had  craftily  evaded  them. 

Having  entered  into  closer  examination  concerning 
this  matter,  the  counterfeit  ordinary  ordered  the  articles 
to  be  read  again ;  and  Gratwick  refusing  to  make  any 
reply,  was  threatened  with  sentence  of  excommunica- 
tion ;  on  which,  he  thus  addressed  himself  to  his  exam- 
iners : 

"  Since  you  thirst  for  my  blood,  before  you  are  glut- 
ted with  the  same,  permit  me  a  word  in  my  own  cause. 
On  Sunday,  my  lord  of  Winchester,  I  was  before  you, 
who  took  occasion  to  preach  from  these  words  of  St. 
James  :  '  If  any  man  among  you  seem  to  be  religious, 
and  bridleth  not  his  tongue,  but  deceiveth  his  own  heart, 
this  man's  religion  is  vain.'  From  these  words,  my 
lord,  by  wrested  inferences,  you  slandered  us  poor  prison- 
ers, upbraiding  us  with  the  title  of  Arians,  Herodians, 
Sacramentaries,  and  Pelagians.  When  we  stood  up  to 
speak  in  vindiciition  of  ourselves,  you  threatened  to  cut 
out  our  tongues,  and  caused  us  to  be  dragged  out  of 
the  church  by  violence ;  nevertheless,  I  will  abide  by  the 
truth  to  the  end  of  my  life." 

The  incensed  prelate,  after  various  endeavours,  by 
threats  and  promises,  to  bring  him  to  a  recantation  with- 
out effect,  pronounced  sentence  of  condemnation  upon 
him  ;  and  he  was  delivered  over  to  the  sheriff,  who  im- 
mediately conducted  him  to  the  Marshalsea-prison.  Here 
he  remained,  till  the  latter  end  of  May,  1557,  when  he 
was  brought  to  the  stake  in  t  St.  George's  Fields,  and 
cheerfully  resigned  up  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  him  who 
gave  it. 

William  Morant,  and  John  King,  suffered  with  him  ; 
but  we  have  no  account  on  record  relative  to  their  ex- 
amination. 


454  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  Martyrdoms  of  Alice  Bendon,  John  Fishcock^  AV- 
cholas  White,  Nicholas  Pardue^  Barbara  Finally  Mary 
Bradbridge,  and  Amos  TVilson,  who  were  all  burnt 
together  in  the  city  of  Canterbury^ 

Alice  Bendon  was  the  wife  of  Edward  Bendon,  of 
the  parish  of  Stablehurst,  in  the  county  of  Kent.  Be- 
ing brought  before  a  magistrate,  on  an  information  of 
heresy,  she  was  asked,  why  she  absented  herself  from 
the  church  ?  To  which,  she  replied,  because  there  was 
much  idolatry  practised  there  against  the  honour  and 
glory  of  God. 

In  consequence  of  this  answer,  she  was  committed  to 
Canterbury  castle  ;  but  her  husband  making  interest  for 
her  enlargement,  she  was  ordered  to  appear  before  the 
bishop  of  Dover,  who  asked  her,  if,  in  condition  she 
was  released,  she  would  go  to  church  ?  To  this,  she 
gave  no  satisfactory  answer,  notwithstanding  which,  the 
bishop  gave  her  liberty. 

On  her  arrival  at  home,  her  husband  admonished  her 
for  her  conduct,  and  advised  her  to  go  to  church  with 
him  ;  but  this  she  absolutely  refused ;  on  which,  she 
was  again  apprehended,  and  taken  before  sir  John 
GifFord,  who  committed  her  to  her  former  place  of  con- 
finement. 

In  consequence  of  this,  her  husband  made  a  second 
application  for  her  discharge,  to  the  bishop  of  Dover ; 
but,  in  this,  he  failed,  the  bishop  telling  him,  she  was  a 
most  obstinate,  irreclaimable  heretic  ;  and,  therefore,  he 
could  not  release  her. 

Her  husband  then  informed  his  lordship,  that,  if  he 
could  keep  her  brother,  Roger  Hall,  from  her,  she 
would  conform  to  the  mother- church  ;  whereupon,  she 
was  removed  to  another  prison,  and  charge  given,  that, 
if  her  brother  came  to  visit  her,  he  should  be  appre- 
hended. 

She  continued  some  time  in  this  place,  without  her 
brother's  knowledge,  though  he  sought  diligently  to  find 
her  at  the  hazard  of  his  life. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  455 

In  process  of  time,  he  accidentally  found  her  out,  by 
hearing  her  voice  as  he  passed  by  the  prison  window, 
when  she  was  repeating  a  psalm,  and  bemoaning  herself ; 
but,  fearing  to  go  to  her  in  a  public  manner,  he  found  a 
method  of  conveying  to  her  some  money  and  sustenance, 
by  means  of  a  long  stick,  which  reached  to  the  window 
of  the  prison. 

In  this  prison,  she  continued  n?ne  weeks,  without  see- 
ing any  one  but  her  keeper,  lying  in  her  clothes  upon 
straw,  and  having  but  three  farthings  a  day,  in  bread, 
allowed  for  her  subsistence,  with  no  other  liquor  to  drink 
but  water. 

This  hard  usage  brought  upon  her  a  complication 
of  disorders,  insomuch  that  she  could  not  walk  without 
the  greatest  pain. 

After  being  some  time  confined  in  this  loathsome  pris- 
on, the  bishop  summoned  her  before  him,  and  asked 
her,  if  she  would  go  to  church,  promising  her  great  fa- 
vours, if  she  would  be  reformed,  and  return  to  the  holy 
mother,  church. 

To  this,  she  answered,  "  I  am  rerily  persuaded,  by 
the  great  severity  which  you  have  used  towards  me,  that 
ye  are  not  of  God,  neither  can  your  doings  be  godly ; 
and  I  see,  that  you  seek  my  utter  destruction." 

She  then  shewed  them  how  miserable  and  lame  she 
was  from  lying  so  long  on  the  cold  ground,  in  that 
filthy  prison,  where  she  was  deprived  of  the  necessaries 
of  life. 

After  this,  the  bishop  caused  her  to  be  removed  from 
thence  to  the  prison,  at  the  West- gate  in  Canterbury, 
where  she  had  better  usage,  and  continued  till  the  latter 
end  of  April  following,  when  she,  and  the  rest  of  the 
prisoners,  being  brought  before  the  commissioners, 
were  severally  examined  ;  and,  on  persisting  in  those 
principles  which  their  persecutors  deemed  heresy,  they 
received  sentence  of  excommunication,  were  delivered 
to  the  sheriffs,  and  sent  back  to  prison. 

Here  they  continued  till  the  19th  of  the  month  called 
June,  when  they  were  all  seven  brought  to  tlie  place  of 
execution. 


456  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Alice  Bendon  behaved  remarkably  courageous  on  this 
melancholy  occasion,  setting  an  example  to  her  fellow- 
martyrs,  who  kneeled  down,  joined  together  in  prayer, 
and  behaved  with  such  zeal  and  affection,  as  excited 
the  esteem  of  their  very  enemies. 

Having  finished  their  devotions,  and  mutual  saluta- 
tions, they  were  chained  to  several  stakes  ;  and  being  en- 
compassed with  the  flames,  they  quietly  yielded  up  their 
souls  to  the  Lord,  in  hopes  of  a  joyful  resurrection  to 
life  eternal. 


The  Martyrdoms  of  Richard  Woodman^  George  Ste- 
vens, Williain  Maynardy  Alexander  Hosman,  Thomasin 
Wood,  Margery  Morris,  James  Morris,  Dennis  Bon- 
gess,  Ann  Ashdon,  and  Mary  Groves,  who  were  all 
burnt  together  at  Lewes,  in  the  county  of  Sussex. 

"  Though  these  ten  persons  all  suffered  together,  yet 
we  do  not  find  any  other  particulars  relative  to  either, 
except  Richard  Woodman,  who  was  a  considerable 
merchant  in  the  parish  of  Warbleton,  in  the  county  of 
Sussex,  and  whose  troubles  arose  from  the  foUoAving  in- 
cident : 

There  was  one  Fairbank,  who,  for  some  time,  had 
been  a  married  priest,  and  served  the  cure  of  Warble- 
ton, where  he  often  persuaded  the  people  not  to  credit 
any  doctrine  but  that  which  he  preached,  and  which  was 
then  taught  and  set  forth  in  the  days  of  king  Edward  the 
sixth ;  but,  in  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  queen  Mary, 
Fairbank  deserted  his  reformed  principles,  and  favoured 
the  Romish  tenets ;  upon  which,  Woodman  upbraided 
him  with  inconstancy  and  cowardice,  and  reminded  him 
how  differently  he  then  preached  from  what  he  had  for- 
merly done. 

In  consequence  of  this  open  and  frank  behaviour,  he 
w^as  apprehended  ;  and  being  brought  before  several  of 
the  justices  of  the  peace  for  the  county  of  Sussex,  was 
committed  to  the  King's-Bench  prison,  where  he  re^ 
mained  a  considerable  time. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS*  457 

At  length,  Woodman,  and  four  other  prisoners,  were 
brought  togctlier,  to  be  examined  by  Bonner,  bishop 
of  London,  who,  after  asking  them  some  questions,  de- 
sired they  would  be  honest  men,  and  profess  themselves 
members  of  the  true  catholic  church,  which  was  built 
upon  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Christ  being  the  head 
of  the  same.  To  this,  they  all  said,  that  they  were 
members  of  the  true  church,  and  determined,  by  God's 
grace,  to  continue  in  the  same  ;  upon  which,  they  were 
all  discharged* 

Woodman  had  not  long  returned  home,  before  a  re- 
port was  spread,  that  he  had  conformed  to  the  church  of 
Rome  ;  but  he  vindicated  himself  from  that  aspersion 
in  several  companies  ;  in  consequence  of  which,  com- 
plaint was  made  to  sir  John  Gage,  who  issued  warrants 
for  apprehending  him. 

As  he  was  one  day  employed  in  his  ordinary  occupa- 
tion, three  men  came  to  him  from  the  queen's  chamber-^ 
lain,  arrested  him  in  her  majesty's  name,  and  told  him, 
he  must  go  with  them  before  their  lord. 

The  suri:)rise  of  the  action  put  him  into  great  conster- 
nation ;  and  he  desired  to  go  home,  in  order  to  put  on  a 
dress  suitable  to  appear  in  before  his  superiors. 

When  he  came  to  his  house,  he  demanded  of  the  men 
that  arrested  him,  to  shew  their  warrant,  that  he  might 
know  the  cause  wherefore  he  was  apprehended,  and  be 
better  prepared  to  answer  for  himself  wheh  he  should 
come  before  their  master. 

The  men,  not  having  any  warrant,  were  startled  at  his 
demand  ;  and  Woodman^severely  reprimanded  them  for 
offering  to  take  him  without*  "  I  heard  (said  he)  there 
vere  several  warrants  out  against  me,  but  they  were 
called  in  as  soon  as  I  had  satisfied  the  commissioners  by 
letter,  that  I  was  not  guilty  of  the  things  laid  to  my 
charge;  therefore,  set  your  hearts  at  rest,  fori  will  not 
go  \\ith  you,  without  a  warrant,  unless  you  force  me, 
which  do  at  your  peril." 

On  their  leaving  his  house,  he  called  them  back,  ajid 
told  thera,  if  they  would  produce  a  ^vaiTaut,  he  would 
go  with  them  freclv.     One  of  them  said,  he  would  fetch 

3  X 


458  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

one  that  was  left  in  his  house  ;  but,  while  he  was  gone. 
Woodman  escaped,  and  absented  himself  from  home 
three  days,  during  which,  they  searched  his  house  sev- 
eral times,  but  could  not  find  him. 

Woodman,  finding  his  enemies  thus  resolute  on  his 
destruction,  prepared  himself  a  convenient  cottage  in  a 
wood,  near  his  house,  where  he  had  pen  and  ink,  a  bi- 
ble, and  such  necessaries  as  he  had  occasion  for,  daily 
brought  him. 

His  absence  soon  produced  a  report,  that  he  had  left 
the  kingdom;  in  consequence  of  which,  his  enemies 
ceased  to  search  for  him  ;  and  he  embraced  this  opportu- 
nity of  visiting  his  friends  and  brethren  ;  after  which, 
he  went  over  to  Flanders ;  but  not  approving  of  so  re- 
mote a  situation  from  his  family,  he  soon  returned  to 
England. 

When  it  was  known,  that  he  was  come  home,  the 
priest  that  was  curate  of  the  parish,  and  other  popish  em- 
issaries, procured  warrants  to  apprehend  him.  They 
often  searched  his  house  for  that  purpose,  but  could  not 
find  him  ;  for  he  had  artfully  contrived  a  secret  place 
which  they  could  not  discover. 

At  length,  through  the  treachery  of  his  father,  and 
one  of  his  brothers,  (whom  he  had  told  of  his  hiding- 
place,  and  they  having  great  part  of  his  substance,  both  land 
and  money,  in  their  hands)  his  house  was  beset  in  the 
night,  which,  as  soon  as  he  discovered,  he  ran  out  bare- 
foot, but  unhappily  treading  upon  some  stones,  he  fell 
down,  and  being  seized,  was  sent  prisoner  to  London. 

On  the  14th  of  the  month  called  April,  1557,  he  was 
brought  befor  Dr.  Christopherson,  bishop-elect  of  Chi- 
cJiester,  who  told  him,  he  was  sorry  to  see  him  on  the 
present  occasion,  as  he  heard,  that  he  was  a  man  greatly 
esteemed  in  the  country  where  he  lived,  for  his  probity 
and  charity ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  advised  him  seriously  to 
consider  his  present  situation,  and  not  to  think  himself 
wiser  than  all  the  realm,  assuring  him,  that  he  meant  to 
do  him  much  service. 

Woodman  replied,  that  so  far  from  esteeming  him- 
self wiser  than  all  the  realm,  he  was  disposed  to  learn 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS,  459 

of  every  man  that  could  teach  him  the  truth  ;  and,  that 
with  respect  to  the  general  esteem  in  which  he  was  held 
by  his  neighbours,  he  had  ever  endeavoured  to  maintain 
a  conscience  void  of  offence.  "  As  for  my  wife  and 
children,  (said  he)  they  are  all  in  God's  hand,  and  I 
have  them  all  as  though  I  had  them  not,  according  to 
the  words  of  St.  Paul ;  but  had  I  ten  thousand  pounds 
in  e^old,  I  would  forego  it  all,  rather  than  displease  my 
God." 

When  the  bishop  informed  him,  that  the  sheriff  ap- 
plied to  him  out  of  respect  to  his  character,  he  replied, 
that  he  thought  proper  to  appeal  to  his  ordinary  ;  "for 
(said  he)  they  seek  most  unrighteously  to  shed  my  blood, 
and  have  laid  many  unjust  things  to  my  charge.  If  you 
can  prove,  from  the  word  of  God,  that  any  of  my  relig- 
ious principles  are  false,  I  am  willing  to  renounce  the 
same,  and  stand  here  desirous  of  being  reformed." 

After  this,  several  divines  conversed  with  him  on  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar,  purgatory,  and  other  popish 
topics ;  when  Woodman  confuted  his  opponents  with 
great  energy  and  propriety,  asserting,  and  proving,  from 
scripture,  that  there  were  but  two  sacraments  ordain- 
ed by  Christ,  and  observed  by  him,  and  his  immediate 
disciples  and  apostles. 

Being  required,  by  the  bishop  of  Chichester,  to  relate 
a  plain  and  full  account  of  his  belief  concerning  the  sac- 
rament of  the  altar,  he  made  this  explicit  confession  : 
*'  I  do  believe,  that  if  I  came  to  receive  the  sacrament  of 
the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  truly  ministered,  believ- 
ing that  Christ  was  born  for  me,  and  that  he  died  on  the 
cross  for  me,  and  that  I  shall  be  saved  from  my  sins  by 
his  blood,  and  receive  the  sacrament  in  that  remem- 
brance, then  I  believe,  that  I  do  receive  the  whole  Christ 
mystically,  by  faith." 

A  few  days  after  this,  Woodman  was  privately  exam- 
ined by  lord  Montague's  chaplain,  who  made  use  of 
many  arguments  to  bring  him  over  to  the  Romish  faith  ; 
but  all  his  efforts  were  ineffectual ;  for  Woodman  would 
not  yield  to  any  thing  that  was  not  founded  on  the  au- 
thority of  sacred  writ. 


46Q  PERSEJCUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

After  some  time,  our  martyr  was  again  brought  be- 
fore the  bishop  of  Winchester,  in  St.  George's  church, 
Southwark,  where  several  gentlemen  and  clergy  were 
present,  and  examined  concerning  the  cause  of  his  im- 
prisonment :  to  which,  he  replied,  it  was  for  speaking 
to  the  curate  of  his  parish'  in  the  pulpit,  and  not  for 
heresy. 

Being  asked,  what  lie  had  to  allege  in  vindication  of 
himself  from  that  charge,  he  cited  the  following  ^\Drds 
of  the  statute  : 

*'  Whoso  doth  interrupt  any  preacher,  or  preachers, 
lawfully  authorized  by  the  queen's  majesty,  or  by  any 
other  lawful  ordinary,  that  all  such  shall  suffer  three 
months'  imprisonment  for  so  doing;  and,  furthermore,  be 
^brought  to  the  quarter- sessions,  and  being  sorry  for  the 
same,  shall  be  released  upon  his  good  behaviour,  for 
one  whole  year." 

He  then  observed,  that  he  had  not  so  offended  against 
the  statute  ;  for  the  person  to  whom  he  spoke,  ^vas  not 
lawfully  authorized,  as  he  had  not  put  away  his  wife ; 
and,  consequently,  according  to  the  law  then  in  force, 
he  had  no  right  to  preach. 

On  the  15th  of  the  month  called  June,  Woodman  was 
again  brought  before  the  bishop  of  Winchester,  in  St. 
Saviour's  church,  Southwark,  in  the  presence  of  the 
archdeacon  of  Canterbury,  Dr.  Langdall,  and  several 
other  dignitaries. 

The  bishop  of  Winchester,  producing  some  writings, 
asked,  if  they  were  his  ?  to  which,  he  replied  in  the  af- 
firmative ;  but  refused  to  answer  to  the  articles  he  might 
exhibit  against  him,  because  he  was  not  of  his  diocess, 
though  he  was  then  in  it ;  consequently,  he  had  nothing 
to  do  with  him,  who  was  not  his  ordinary. 

After  some  dispute,  the  bishop  peremptorily  asked 
him,  if  he  would  become  an  honest  man,  and  conform 
to  the  holy  mother- church  ?  To  which.  Woodman  re- 
plied, that  no  person  could,  with  justice,  object  to  his 
character  ;  and  that  he  was  surprised  he  should  charge 
him  with  heresy,  as  the  bishop  of  London  had  discharged 
liim  of  all  matters  that  v.'cre  bid  against  him  on  that.hqad, 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  461 

The  bishop  then  observed,  that  when  he  was  released, 
perhaps  those  things  were  not  laid  to  his  charge  ;  and  that, 
therefore,  they  were  now  objected  to  him,  because  he  was 
suspected  of  being  a  heretic. 

Woodman,  at  length,  consented  to  answer  to  the  sever- 
al articles  exhibited  against  them,  which  having  done,  he 
distinctly  rehearsed  the  articles  of  his  belief  in  the  following 
form  : 

*'  I  believe  in  one  God,  the  Father  Almighty,  maker  of 
heaven  and  earth,  and  of  all  things  visible  and  invisible. 
And  in  one  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  my  Saviour,  very  God,  and 
man.  I  believe  in  God,  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  comforter  of 
all  God's  chosen  people,  and  that  he  is  equal  with  the  Fa- 
ther and  the  Son.  I  believe  the  true  catholic  church,  and  all 
the  sacraments  that  belong  thereto." 

Being  farther  asked,  concerning  his  belief  in  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  altar,  he  told  them,  he  would  answer  no  farther 
questions,  because  he  perceived  they  sought  to  shed  his 
blood. 

As  the  bishop  of  Chichester  was  not  yet  consecrated,  he 
would  not  undertake,  judicially  to  examine  Woodman,  and 
therefore  submitted  the  whole  to  the  bishop  of  Winchester, 
who,  after  many  other  questions,  and  farther  arguments  to 
bring  him  over  to  recant,  at  length  pronounced  sentence  of 
condemnation  against  him  ;  and  he  was  accordingly  deliv- 
ered over  to  the  secular  power. 

About  a  fortnight  after  this,  Woodman  was  conveyed 
to  Lewes,  in  Sussex,  together  with  his  fellow  martyrs, 
concerning  whose  examinations  (as  we  have  alrcad}'  ob- 
served) there  is  not  any  thing  recorded,  except  that  they 
Mere  all  condenmed  for  heresy  a  few  days  after  their  appre- 
hension. 

On  the  22d  of  the  month  called  July,  1557,  these  ten 
steadfast  believers  in  Christ,  were  led  to  the  j)lace  of  exe- 
cution ;  and,  being  chained  to  several  stakes,  were  all  con- 
sumed in  one  fu'c.  They  died  with  becoming  ibrtitude 
and  resignation,  committing  their  departing  spirits  into  the 
hands  of  that  Redeemer,  who  was  to  be  their  final  judge, 
and  who,  they  had  reason  to  hope,  would  usher  them  into 
the  realms  of  bliss,  with  "  come  vc  blessed  of  mv  Father, 


462  PERSECUTED    fiY    THE    PAPISTS. 

inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world. '^ 


Extract  of  a  letter  of  Richard  Woodman's^  to  one  Roberts^ 
of  Hawkhurst. 

*^  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  from  God  the  Father,  and 
from  his  Son  our  only  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  opera- 
tion and  working  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  multiplied  plenti- 
fully upon  you,  dear  sister,  that  you  may  the  more  joyfully 
bear  the  cross  of  Christ  that  you  are  under,  to  the  end,  to 
your  only  comfort  and  consolation,  and  to  all  our  brethren 
and  sisters  in  those  parts  that  love  our  Lord  unfeignedly, 
certifying  you,  that  I,  and  all  my  brethren  with  me,  are 
joyful,  praised  be  God,  looking  daily  to  be  dissolved  from 
these  our  mortal  bodies,  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of 
our  heavenly  Father,  praising  God  also  for  your  constancy 
and  kindness,  shewed  unto  God's  people  in  this  trouble- 
some time  of  persecution.  Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for 
they  shall  obtain  mercy.  The  fruits  always  declare  what 
the  tree  is  ;  for  a  good  man  and  woman,  out  of  the  good 
treasure  of  their  hearts,  bring  forth  good  fruits. 

"  Wherefore,  dear  sister,  let  our  fluth  be  made  manifest 
to  the  world  by  our  deeds ;  and,  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked 
and  perverse  nation,  as  St.  Paul  saith,  let  your  light  shine  as 
in  a  dark  place. 

**  O  dear  hearts  !  now  is  the  gospel  of  God  overwhelm- 
ed with  many  black  and  troublesome  clouds  of  persecu- 
tion, for  the  which  cause,  very  few  go  about  to  have  their 
eyes  made  clear  by  the  true  light  of  the  gospel,  for  fear  of 
losing  their  treasures  of  this  world,  \\'hich  are  but  vain,  and 
shall  perish. 

''  Let  us  not,  therefore,  be  like  unto  them  which  light  their 
candle,  and  put  it  under  a  bushel,  but  let  us  set  our  candle 
upon  a  candlestick,  that  it  may  give  light  unto  all  them  that 
are  in  the  house  ;  that  is  to  say,  let  all  the  people  of  the 
household  of  God  see  our  good  works,  in  suffering  all 
things  patiently  that  shall  be  laid  upon  us  for  the  gospel 
sake,  if  it  be  death  itself;  for  Christ  died  for  us,  leaving 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  463 

US  an  example,  that  we  should  follow  his  steps.  And  as 
he  hath  given  his  life  for  us,  so  ought  we  to  give  our  lives 
for  the  defence  of  the  gospel,  to  the  comfort  of  our  breth- 
ren. 

"  How  is  it  then,  that  some  will  say,  that  their  faith  is 
good,  and  yet  they  do  all  the  deeds  of  antichrist,  the  devil? 
St.  Paulsaith,  to  believe  with  the  heart  justifieth,  and  to 
confess  with  the  mouth  makcth  a  man  safe.  Here  may 
all  see,  that  no  man  or  woman  can  have  a  true  faith,  unless 
they  have  deeds  also  ;  and  he  that  doubteth,  is  like  the 
waves  of  the  sea,  tossed  about  of  the  wind,  and  can  look 
for  no  good  thing  at  the  Lord's  hands.  Now  is  the  accept- 
able time  that  Christ  spoke  of,  yea,  even  now  is  the  axe 
put  to  the  root  of  the  tree,  that  so  every  tree  that  bringeth 
not  forth  good  fruit,  must  be  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the 
fire. 

'*  Now  is  the  Lord  come  with  his  fan  in  his  hand,  to  try 
the  wheat  from  the  chaff;  the  wheat  he  will  gather  into 
his  barn,  and  the  chaft'  he  will  burn.  Now  is  the  time 
come  that  we  must  go  to  meet  the  bridegroom  with  oil  in 
our  lamps.  We  are  also  bidden  to  the  feast ;  let  us  make 
no  excuses  ;  our  master  hath  delivered  talents  unto  us. 
Now  is  the  Lord  come  to  see,  if  there  be  any  fruit  upon 
his  trees,  if  he  find  none,  he  will  serve  us  as  he  did  the 
wild  fig-tree,  that  is,  never  fruit  shall  grow  on  him  more. 
If  we  go  to  meet  the  bridegroom,  without  oil  in  our  lamps, 
and  should  go  to  buy,  the  doubt  is,  we  should  be  served 
as  the  foolish  virgins  were,  to  whom,  Goxl  said,  depart, 
I  know  you  not.  li'  we  use  not  our  talents  well,  they 
sliall  be  taken  from  us,  and  given  to  others  ;  and  all  such 
luiprofitable  servants  shall  be  cast  into  hell,  where  shall  be 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

**  May  not  nil  people  now  perceive,  that  this  is  the  time 
that  our  master  Christ  speaketh  of,  that  the  fiithcr  should 
be  against  the  son,  and  the  son  against  the  father,  and  one 
])rother  against  another,  that  tlie  brother  shall  deliver  the 
brother  to  death  ;  yea,  and  that  the  wicked  shall  say  all 
manner  of  wicked  sayings  against  us  for  his  name  sake, 
the  which  I  have  found  by  experience.  I  praise  God  that 
gave  me  strength  to  bear  it. 


464  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

**  I  have  no  mistrust,  btit  that  the  world  shall  see  and 
know  my  blood  shall  not  be  dear  in  my  own  sight,  when- 
soever  it  please  God  to  give  my  adversaries  leave  to  shed 
it.  I  do  earnestly  believe,  that  God,  which  hath  begun 
this  good  Avork  in  me,  will  perform  it  to  the  end  ;  for, 
^\ilen  I  have  been  in  prison,  sometimes  wearing  bolts  and 
shackles,  lying  on  the  bare  ground,  and  sometimes  sitting 
in  the  stocks,  and  bound  with  cords,  that  my  body  was 
swelled,  and  I  like  to  be  overcome  with  pain,  sometimes 
lying  in  the  woods  and  fields,  wandering  to  and  fro,  brought 
before  justices,  sheriffs,  lords,  doctors,  and  bishops  ;  called 
dog,  devil,  heretic,  whoremonger,  traitor,  thief,  deceiver, 
and  swell  like.  Yea,  even  they  that  did  eat  of  my  bread,  that 
should  have  been  most  my  friends  by  nature,  have  betrayed 
me  ;  yet,  for  all  this,  I  praise  God,  that  hath  separated  me 
from  my  mother's  womb.  All  this  that  hath  happened 
unto  me,  hath  been  easy  ;  for  I  praise  God,  they  are  not 
able  to  prove  one  tittle  of  their  sayings  to  be  true,  but  that 
way  which  they  call  heresy,  I  serve  my  Lord  God  ;  and, 
at  all  times,  before  whomsoever  I  have  been  brought,  God 
hath  given  me  mouth  and  wisdom,  against  which,  my  ad- 
versaries have  not  been  able  to  resist.  Wherefore,  dear 
sister,  be  of  good  comfort,  with  all  your  brethren  and  sis- 
ters, and  take  no  thought  what  }X)u  shall  say  ;  for  it  shall 
be  given  you  the  same  hour  according  to  the  promises,  as 
I  have  always  found,  and  as  you  and  all  others  of  God's 
elect  shall  well  find,  when  the  time  is  full  come.  And  where- 
as I  and  many  others  have  hoped,  that  this  persecution 
would  have  been  at  an  end  ere  this  time,  now  I  perceive 
God  will  have  a  further  trial,  to  root  out  all  dissemblers, 
that  no  man  should  rejoice  in  himself,  but  he  that  rejoicetli 
should  rejoice  in  God  ;  wherefore,  if  prophecy  should  fail, 
and  tongues  should  cease,  yet  love  must  endure,  for  fear 
hath  painfulness,  but  a  perfect  love  casteth  out  all  fear, 
which  love  I  have  no  mistrust,  but  God  hath  poured  it  up- 
on you  so  abundantly,  that  nothing  in  the  world  shall  be 
able  to  separate  you  from  God,  neither  high  nor  low,  rich 
nor  poor,  life  nor  death,  shall  be  able  to  put  you  from 
Christ,  but  by  him  I  trust  you  shall  enter  into  New- Jerusa- 
lem, there  to  live  forever." 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  46^ 

The  Martyrdojji  of  John  Hullier,  T7imister,  who  was  burnt 
at  Canibridge. 

John  Hullier  was  descended  of  reputable  parents, 
who,  after  giving  him  a  hberal  education  at  a  private 
school,  sent  him  to  Eaton  college,  from  whence,  accord- 
ing to  the  rules  of  that  foundation,  he  was  elected  to  the 
King's  college,  at  Cambridge. 

After  he  had  been  at  college  about  three  years,  he  was 
admitted  to  a  fellowship,  and  obtained  a  curacy  at  Babram, 
a  village,  about  three  miles  from  Cambridge.  He  had  not 
been  long  here  before  he  went  to  Lynn,  where  he  had  sev- 
eral debates  with  the  papists,  who  reporting  his  principles 
to  Dr.  Thurlby,  bishop  of  the  diocefes,  he  sent  for  him, 
and,  after  a  short  examination  relative  to  his  faith,  commit- 
ted him  to  the  castle  of  Cambridge. 

A  short  time  after  this,  he  v/as  cited  to  appear  at  St. 
Mary's  church,  before  several  doctors  both  of  law  and  di- 
vinity, by  whom,  he  was  reprimanded  for  opposing  the 
doctrines  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  maintaining  and 
defending  those  set  forth  in  the  days  of  king  Edward  VI. 

His  examination  being  finished,  he  was  required  to  re- 
tant  his  erroneous  opinions  ;  which  peremptorily  refusing, 
he  was  degraded,  condemned,  and  delivered  over  to  the 
secular  power,  who  immediately  divested  him  of  all  his 
books,  papers,  and  writings. 

On  the  day  appointed  for  his  execution,  he  v/as  conduct-, 
edtotlie  stake  without  the  town,  at  a  place  called  Jesus 
Green,  near  Jesus  college,  where,  having  made  the  neces- 
sary preparations  on  the  melancholy  occasion,  he  desired 
the  spectators  to  pray  for  him,  and  to  bear  witness  that  he 
died  in  the  fliith  of  Christ,  sealing  the  same  with  his  blood. 
He  likewise  assured  them,  thmt  he  died  in  a  good  cause,  for 
the  testimony  of  the  truth,  and  that  diere  was  no  other  rock, 
but  Jesus  Christ,  to  build  upon,  nor  any  hope  of  salvation, 
but  tlirough  his  death  and  sufferings. 

One  of  the  proctors  of  the  university,  and  some  of  the 
fellows  of  Trinity  college,  were  offended  at  his  address  to 
the  people,  and  reproved  the  mayor  for  giving  him  liberty 
to  speak.     To  this,  our  martvr  made  no  i:eply  ;  when  be- 


466  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

ing  chained  to  the  stake,  he  earnestly  called  upon  God  for 
his  grace  and  support,  to  enable  him  to  undergo  the  fiery 
trial. 

As  soon  as  the  fligots  were  lighted,  a  number  of  books 
were  thrown  into  the  midst  of  them  ;  and,  among  the  rest, 
a  communion  book,  which  our  martyr  catching,  joyfully 
read  in  it,  till  the  flames  and  smoke  prevented  him  from 
seeing.  He  then  prayed  with  a  loud  voice,  holding  the  book 
as  long  as  he  was  able,  and  praising  God  for  sending  it  to 
him  as  a  comforter  in  his  last  moments. 

After  the  spectators  thought  he  had  been  dead,  he  sud- 
denly uttered,  *'  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit,"  and  then 
quiedy  expired. 

His  death  was  greatly  lamented  by  many  of  the  specta- 
tors, who  prayed  for  him,  and  expressed  their  grief  by 
floods  of  tears,  he  having  been  a  man  of  eminent  piety,  and 
the  most  exemplary  virtue. 


The  Martyrdoms  of  Simon  Miller ^  a7id  Elizabeth  Cooper, 
who  were  burnt  together  in  the  city  of  Norwich. 

Simon  Miller  was  an  eminent  merchant  in  the  town 
of  Lynn-Regis.  He  was  a  godly  man,  zealous  for  the  truth 
of  the  gospel,  and  averse  to  the  popish  religion. 

Having  occasion  to  go  to  Norwich  on  business,  while 
there,  he  inquired  of  some  people  coming  out  of  church 
from  the  popish  service,  where  he  might  go  and  receive 
the  communion,  which  being  reported  to  chancellor  Dun- 
ning, he  ordered  him  to  appear  before  him.  This  sum- 
mons he  readily  obeyed,  when  the  chancellor  asked  him 
several  questions,  to  which,  answering  agreeable  to  the  dic- 
tates of  his  conscience,  he  was  committed  prisoner  to  the 
bishop's  palace. 

After  being  sometime  in  conflnement,  he  obtained  per- 
mission to  go  home,  in  order  to  settle  his  worldly  concerns. 
Oi>  his  return,  he  was  again  examined  by  the  chancellor, 
who  required  him  to  recant  his  opinions,  and  return  to  the 
holy  mollier-church  ;  ijut  Miller  remaining  inflrxible  in  his 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  467 

faith  and  profession,  he  was  condemned  as  a  heretic,  and 
delivered  over  to  the  secular  power. 

Elizabeth  Cooper  (his  fellow-martyr)  was  the  wife  of 
a  tradesman  in  Norwich.  She  had  formerly  been  pre- 
vailed on  to  recant  the  protestant,  and  embrace  the  Ro- 
mish religion  :  but,  being  troubled  in  her  conscience  for 
so  doing,  she  went  one  day  to  St.  Andrew's  church, 
where,  in  the  presence  of  a  numerous  audience,  she 
stood  up,  and  publicly  revoked  hisr  recantation.  For 
this,  she  ^vns  immediately  apprehended,  and  committed 
to  prison.  The  next  day,  she  was  brought  before  the 
bishop,  when  persisting  in  her  faith,  she  was  condemned 
as  a  relapsed  person,  and  delivered  to  the  sheriff  for  exe- 
cution. 

On  the  30th  of  the  month  called  July,  1557,  they  were 
both  led  to  the  stake  in  a  hollow  without  the  city,  near 
Bishopsgate.     As  soon  as  the  fagots  were  lighted,  Eliza-  aj 

beth  Cooper  expressed  some  fear  ;  but,  being  encouraged 
by  tlie  advice  and  example  of  her  fellow -martyr,  she  re-      >;i§ 
mained  fixed  ;   and  they  both  cheerfully  resigned  their.:^;  ^*-  ^| 
60uls  into  the  hand  of  him  who  gave  them,  •       '^^  ' 


I 


* 


The  sufferings  end  Martyrdoms  of  fViUiam  Bongeof", 
Thomas  Benhote^  William  Purchase^  Agnes  Silversule^ 
Helen  Exvring,  Elizabeth  Folk^  William  Munt^ 
John  Johnson^  Alice  Munt^  and  Rose  Allen^  who  were 
all  burnt  on  the  same  day,  at  Co!  .    .'       in  Essex, 

On  the  7th  of  the  month  called  i\  1557,  about 

two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Edmunu  Tyrrell,  (who  was 
a  descendant  of  that  family  who  muraered  king  Ed- 
ward V.  in  the  tower  of  London)  assisted  by  the  bailiff 
of  the  hundred,  two  constables,  and  a  great  number  of 
other  attendants,  went  to  the  house  of  William  Munt, 
farmer,  at  Much-Bently,  in  Essex  ;  and,  after  alarming 
the  family,  told  Munt,  that  he  and  his  wife  must  both 
go  with  him  to  Colchester  castle. 

This  sudden  surprise   greatly  aftected  his  wife,  who, 
after  ohe  had  a  little  recovered  herself,  dc^r<  d  of  Tyr- 


468  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

rell,  that  her  daughter  might  be  permitted  to  fetch  her 
something  to  drink  before  she  went  with  him.  This 
being  granted,  Tyrrell  took  the  opportunity  of  advising 
the  daughter,  as  she  passed  by  him,  to  give  her  father 
and  mother  better  counsel,  and  admonish  them  to  be- 
have more  like  good  christians,  and  members  of  the 
catholic  church. 

The  daughter  replied,  they  h^d  the  holy  ghost  for 
their  instructer,  and,  therefore,  needed  np  other.  This 
answer  greatly  irritated  Tyrrell,  who,  after  using  many 
harsh  words,  assured  her,  he  was  now  convinced  of  the 
absolute  necessity  of  calling  such  heretics  to  immediate 
account. 

Tyrrell,  from  the  most  abusive  language,  proceeded 
to  the  most  cruel  behaviour  ;  and,  in  order  to  try  if  she 
cbuld  bear  burning,  took  the  girl  by  the  wrist,  and  held 
the  lighted  candle  under  her  hand,  burning  it  across  the 
back  till  the  sinews  cracked ;  frequently  exclaiming, 
during  the  barbarous  operation.  '*  why,  thou  whore,  wilt 
thou  not  cry  ?"  This  she  endured  with  the  utmost  pa- 
tience, telling  the  villain,  if  he  ti- ought  proper,  he  might 
then  begin  at  her  feet  and  proceed  to  the  head  ;  for  that, 
he  that  prompted  him  to  the  work  would  one  day  pay 
him  his  wages. 

Tyrrell  then  seized  William  Munt,  Alice  his  wife, 
and  Rose  Allen,  their  daughter,  and  immediately  con- 
ducted them  to  Colchester  castle,  together  with  John 
Johnson,  whom  they  took  in  their  way,  in  consequence 
of  an  information  that  had  been  laid  against  him  for 
heresy. 

They,  also,  the  same  morning,  apprehended  the  six 
others  who  suffered  with  them,  namely,  William  Bon- 
geor,  Thomas  Benhotc,  William  Purchase,  Agnes  Sil- 
verside,  Helen  Ewring,  and  Elizabeth  Folk  ;  but  not 
chusing  to  place  those  v/ith  the  rest,  they  sent  them  pris- 
oners to  Mote- hill. 

After  they  had  been  confined  a  few  days,  they  were 
all  brought  together  before  several  justices  of  the  peace, 
priests,  and  officers,  (amongst  whom  were  Kingston  the 
conmiissary,  and  Boswell  the  bi&hop  of  London's  secre- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  469 

tary)  with  many  others,  in  order  to  be  examined  relative 
to  their  faith. 

The  first  person  called  on  was  William  Bongeor,  who 
being  examined  concerning  his  fi\ith  in  the  saciamtnt, 
replied,  that  what  they  termed  the  sacrament  of  the  altar 
was  bread,  is  bread,  and  remaineth  bread,  and  was  not 
in  the  least  holier  for  the  consecration.  This  he  aflirm- 
ed,  and  at  the  same  time  protested  against  all  the  popish 
doctrin,es  in  general  ;  upon  which,  he  immediately  re- 
ceived sentence  of  condemnation. 

Thomas  Benhote,  also,  denied  the  sacrament  of  the 
altar,  and  abjured  the  errors  of  the  Romish  church. 

William  Purchase  declared,  that  when  he  received  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar,  he  received  the  bread  in  an  holy 
use,  and  both  bread  and  wine  as  such,  but  in  remem- 
brance of  Christ's  death  and  passion. 

Agnes  Silverside  said,  she  approved  not  of  the  popish 
consecration,  nor  any  of  the  pageant  absurdities  and  su- 
perstitions of  the  church  of  Rome,  which  was  the  church 
of  antichrist. 

Helen  Ewring,  also,  renounced  all  the  doctrines  and 
practices  set  forth  by  the  church  of  Rome. 

Elizabeth  Folk  being  asked,  whether  she  believed  the 
presence  of  Christ's  body  to  be  in  the  sacrament  of  the 
altar,  really  and  substantially  ?  replied,  she  believed  it 
was  a  substantial  and  a  real  lie. 

The  commissioners  being  incensed  at  so  abrupt  a 
reply,  asked  her,  whether,  after  consecration,  there  rcr 
mained  not  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  the  sacra- 
ment? She  answered,  that  before  consecration,  and 
after,  it  was  bread,  and  that  what  man  blessed  without 
God's  word,  was  accursed  and  deemed  abominable  b} 
that  word. 

They  then  examined  her  relative  to  her  confession  by 
a  priest,  of  going  to  church,  to  hear  mass,  of  the  author- 
ity  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  &:c.  Unto  all  which,  she  an- 
swered, that  she  would  neither  use,  nor  frequent  any  of 
tiiem,  by  the  grace  of  God,  but  did  utterly  detest  them 
from  her  verv  heart  and  soul. 


470  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

In  consequence  of  this,  sentence  of  condemnation  was 
passed  upon  her ;  immediately  after  which,  she  kneeled 
down,  lifted  her  eyes  and  hands  to  heaven,  and,  in  an  au- 
dible voice,  praised  God,  that  she  was  deemed  worthy  to 
suffer  for  the  testimony  of  Christ,  praying,  at  tlie  same 
time,  for  her  persecutors. 

William  Munt  being  asked  his  opinion  concerning 
the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  said,  it  was  a  most  abomina- 
ble idol ;  and  that,  if  he  should  observe  any  part  of  the 
popish  superstition,  he  should  displease  God,  and  bring 
a  curse  upon  himself ;  and,  therefore,  for  fear  of  the  di- 
vine vengeance,  he  would  not  bow  down  to  an  idol. 

John  Johnson  answered  to  the  same  effect  with  Munt ; 
but  added,  that,  in  receiving  the  sacrament,  according  to 
Christ's  institution,  he  received  the  body  of  Christ  spir- 
itually. 

Alice  Munt  renounced  all  popish  error  and  supersti- 
tion, and  continued  steadfast  in  the  profession  of  the  true 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Rose  Allen  who  was  last  called,  being  examined  con- 
cerning auricular  confession,  hearing  mass,  and  the  sev- 
en sacraments,  answered,  that  they  were  an  abomination 
in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  and  that  she  would,  therefore,  for 
ever  reject  them.  She,  likewise,  told  them,  that  she  was 
no  member  of  their  church,  for  they  were  the  members 
of  antichrist,  and  would  have  the  reward  of  ajitichrist, 
if  they  repented  not. 

In  consequence  of  this,  sentence  was  then  read  against 
her  ;  and  she,  and  the  rest,  were  all  delivered  ov^r  to  the 
secular  power. 

Bishop  Gardner  having  an  account  transmitted  to  him 
t)f  the  condemnation  of  these  ten  innocent  persons,  for 
the  alleged  crime  of  heresy,  sent  down  a  warrant  for  their 
being  burned,  and  fixed  the  time  on  the  2d  of  the  month 
called  August. 

As  the  prisoners  were  confined  in  different  places,  it 
was  resolved  by  the  officer,  that  part  of  them  should  be 
executed  in  the  former,  and  the  rest  in  the  latter  part  of 
that  day.  Accordingly,  William  Bongeor,-  William  Pur- 
chase, Thomas  Benhote,  Agnes  Silverside?  Helen  Ew-. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  471 

ring,  and  Elizabeth  Folk,  were  brought  early  in  the  morn- 
ing to  the  place  appointed  for  them  to  suffer,  where  every 
thing  was  prepared  for  the  bloody  catastrophe. 

When  our  martyrs  arrived  at  the  spot,  they  kneeled 
down,  and  humbly  addressed  themselves  to  Almighty 
God,  though  they  were  interrupted  by  their  popish  ene- 
mies. 

After  they  had  done  praying,  they  arose,  were  fasten- 
ed to  the  stakes,  and  all  burnt  in  one  fire.  They  died 
with  amazing  fortitude  and  resignation,  triumphing  in 
the  midst  of  the  flames,  and  exulting  in  hopes  of  the 
future  glory  that  awaited  their  departure  from  a  sinful 
world. 

In  like  manner,  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  Wil- 
liam and  Alice  Munt,  Rose  Allen,  and  John  Johnson, 
were  brought  to  the  same  place  where  their  fellow-mar- 
tyrs had  suffered  in  the  morning.  As  soon  as  they  arrived 
at  the  fatal  spot,  they  all  kneeled  down,  and  for  some 
time  prayed  with  the  greatest^  fervency.  After  prayers, 
they  arose,  and  cheerfully  submitted  to  be  fastened  to  the 
stakes.  They  earnestly  prayed  to  God  to  enable  them  to 
endure  the  fiery  trial,  exhorted  the  people  to  beware  of 
idolatr}^,  and,  wiih  their  latest  breath,  confessed  the  faith 
of  Christ  crucified,  whom  to  know  is  eternal  life,  and  for 
whom  to  die  is  the  glory  of  his  chosen  people, 

The  Martyrdom  of  Richard  Crashfield,  icho  was  burnt  at 
JFymondhaniy  in  Norfolk, 

The  popish  emissaries  having  laid  an  information 
against  this  pious  n>an,  he  was  apprehended  on  suspi- 
cion of  heresy,  and  was  brought  before  chancellor  Dun- 
ning, who  examined  him  concerning  the  ceremonies 
of  the  church,  whether  he  believed  them  to  be  good  and 
godly  ? 

Crashfield  replied,  kc  believed  as  many  of  them  as 
were  foimded  on  the  word  of  God,  and  autliorized  by 
the  practice  ancj  example  of  Christ  and  his  apostles. 


472  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS^ 

The  chancellor  then  particularly  examined  him  con- 
cerning the  corporeal  presence  in  the  eucharist :  to 
which,  Crashfield  said,  he  believed  Christ's  body  was 
broken  by  him  upon  the  cross,  and  his  blood  shed  fot 
his  redemption,  of  which,  bread  and  wine  are  a  perpet- 
ual remembrance,  the  pledge  of  God's  mercy,  and  the 
seal  of  his  promise  to  those  who  faithfully  believe  in  his 
most  holy  gospel. 

Crashfield  was  then  dismissed  for  the  present,  and  sent 
back  to  prison  ;  but,  the  next  day,  he  was  again  broughti^ 
before  the  chancellor,  w^ho  asked  him,  if  he  still  persist- 
ed in  his  heretical  opinions  ? 

On  his  replying  in  the  affirmative,  and  confirming 
the  same,  by  his  answers  to  other  questions  and  articles 
proposed  to  him,  the  chancellor  stood  up,  and  in  form 
required  him  to  turn  from  his  wicked  errors  and  damna» 
ble  heresies,  and  not  be  an  example  of  impiety  and  ob- 
stinacy, adding,  through  his  presumptuous  reading,  he 
persuaded  silly  women  to  embrace  his  errors  at  the 
hazard  of  their  souls,  and  promising  him  mercy  on  his 
compliance  with  these  term.s. 

Our  martyr  boldly  maintained  his  faith  in  the  pure  doc^ 
trines  and  uncorrupted  ceremonies  of  the  church  of 
Clirist,  telling  the  arrogant  chancellor,  that  it  was  of 
God,  whom  he  had  offended,  that  he  craved  mercy,  and 
not  of  him  who  was  a  sinner  like  himself,  and  therefore 
incapable  of  dispensing  forgiveness,  or  giving  any  satis- 
faction to  his  precious  soul. 

x\t  length,  the  chancellor  finding  hirn  inflexibly  at- 
tached to  his  opinions  and  principles,  in  order  to  obtain 
pretence  for  condemning  him,  asked»  when  he  was  last 
at  his  parish  church  *?  and,  on  his  answering,  that  it  was 
two  years  past,  the  chancellor  told  him,  he  stood  ex- 
communicated, and  was  consequently  condemned  as  a 
heretic. 

Crashfield  not  making  any  reply,  sentence  of  death 
was  passed  on  him,  and  he  was  delivered  to  the  sheriff  of 
the  county  in  order  for  execution. 

A  few  days  after  his  condemnation,  he  was  brought 
to  the  -Stake,  where,  in  the  presence  of  numerous  specta- 


PERSECUTEt)    BY    THE    PAPISTS,  473 

torS)  with  great  patience  and  constancy,  he  yielded  up 
his  soul  to  God,  in  testintony  of  the  truth  of  his  most 
holy  word,  in  hopes  of  enjoying  an  everlasting  habitation 
in  the  heavenly  mansions. 

The  sufferings  and  Martyrdom  of  Joice  JLewisy  who 
xvtts  burnt' at  Litchfield,  in  Staffordshire y  for  pro- 
fessing the  truth  of  the  GospeL 

In  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  queen  Mary,  Joioe 
Le\ris  went  to  church,  heard  mass,  was  confessed,  and 
attended  to  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  Romish  church,  till 
at  length  it  pleased  God,  by  the  preaching  of  a  protest- 
ant  minister,  "to  convince  her  of  her  errors,  and  convjert 
her  to  the  true  faith  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

What  greatly  contributed  to  her  conversion  w^as,  the 
burning  of  a  faithful  servant  of  God  at  Coventry.  She 
inquired  into  the  cause  of  that  cruel  affair ;  and  being 
told,  it  was  because  he  would  not  receive  the  mass,  she 
began  to  entertain  doubts  concerning  the  truth  of  the 
religion  she  professed,  and  accordingly  applied  for  satis- 
faction to  one  Glover,  who  had  suffered  much  himself 
for  his  steadfast  attachment  to  the  truth  of  Christ's 
gospel. 

This  good  man  pointed  out  to  her  the  errors  of  the 
Romish  church,  proving  them  to  be  antiscriptural  and 
antichristian,  and  advising  her  to  make  the  word  of 
God  her  constant  study,  and  regulate  her  faith  and  prac- 
tice by  that  alone. 

J.  Lewis  immediately  took  his  advice,  and  gave 
herself  up  to  prayer,  and  acts  of  benevolence  ;  deter- 
mined, by  the  grace  of  God,  both  to  do  and  belie\'c 
what  slie  was  enjoined  by  the  word  of  God. 

Being  one  day  urged  by  her  husband  to  go  to  church, 
when  the  holy  water  was  spread  about,  she  turned  her 
back  on  it,  and  highly  expressed  her  displeasure.  This 
being  observed  by  several  of  the  congregation,  an  accu- 
satioji  was,  the  next  day,  laid  against  her,  before  the 
bishop  of  Litchfield,  for  despising  the  sacrament  of  the 
church. 

3  p 


474  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  bishop  sent  an  officer  to  summon  her  to  appear 
before  him ;  but,  when  the  summons  was  delivered  to 
her  husband,  he  threatened  the  officer,  unless  he  im- 
mediately withdrew. 

'i'his  treatment  4^eing  reported  to  the  bishop,  he  or- 
dered both  Lewis  and  his  wife  to  appear  before  him ; 
when,  after  a  short  examination,  he  dismissed  the  hus- 
band, on  his  begging  pardon  for  his  conduct,  and  of- 
fered forgiveness  to  her  for  the  offence  she  had  commit- 
ted at  the  church,  on  the  same  terms.  But  she  cou- 
rageously told  him,  that  by  refusing  holy  water,  she 
had  not  offended  God,  or  any  of  his  laws. 

Though  the  bishop  was  greatly  offended  at  this  reply, 
yet  as  she  was  a  person. of  considerable  repute,  he  did 
not  proceed  immediately  against  her,  but  gave  her  a 
month  to  consider  of  it,  binding  her  husband  in  an  hun- 
dred pounds  bond,  to  bring  her  again  to  him  at  the  ex- 
pinnion  of  that  time. 

When  the  period  fixed  was  nearly  arrived,  many  of 
their  friends  advised  her  husband,  by  all  means,  not  to 
deliver  her  up,  but  to  convey  her  to  some  retirement, 
saying,  he  had  better  sustain  the  loss  of  an  Hundred 
pounds,  than  be  instrumental  to  his  wife's  destruction. 

To  these  remonstrances,  the  unnatural  husband  repli- 
ed, he  would  not  forfeit  his  bond  for  her  sake  ;  and,  ac- 
cordingly, when  the  time  was  expired,  he  delivered  her 
to  the  bishop,  who  still  finding  her  resolute,  committed 
her  to.a  loathsome  prison. 

She  was  sevenfl  times  examined  by  the  bishop,  who 
reasoned  with  her  on  her  not  coming  to  mass,  receiving 
the  sacrament,  and  sacramentals  of  the  holy  church  :  to 
this,  she  replied,  that  she  found  not  those  things  in  God'^s 
words,  which  he  so  much  urged  and  magnified  as  ne- 
(xssary,  to  salvation,  adding,  that  if  those  things  were 
founded  on  God's  word,  she  would  receive  them  with 
all  her  heart. 

The  bishop  told  her,  if  she  v/oukl  believe  no  more 
than  was  in  scripture,  she  was  a  damnable  heretic  ;  and, 
after  much  farther  discourse  with  her,  pronounced  sen- 
tence against  her  as  an  irreclaimable  heretic* 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  475 

After  her  condemnation,  she  remained  a  whole  year  in 
confinement,  when,  at  length,  the  writ  for  her  execution 
arriving,  she  sent  for  several  of  her  friends  to  advise  her 
how  to  behave  herself,  that  her  death  might  redound  to 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  establishment  of  his  people  ; 
declaring,  at  the  same  time,  that  she  feared  not  death, 
when  she  thought  on  her  Saviour  Christ. 

The  night  before  she  suffered,  two  priests  visited  her, 
and  desired  to  hear  her  confession,  but  she  rejected  their 
request  with  disdain. 

In  the  morning  of  the  10th  ofv^September,  1557,  she 
was  conducted  to  the  place  of  execution  by  the  two 
sheriffs,  and  a  strong  guard.  As  soon  as  she  arrived  at 
the  stake,  she  kneeled  down,  and  prayed  most  earnestly 
to  God,  beseeching  him  to  abplish  the  idolatrous  mass, 
and  deliver  the  kingdom  from  popery  ;  to  which,  one  of 
the  sheriffs,  and  many  of  the  spectators,  cried.  Amen, 

When  she  was  chained  to  the  stake,  she  appeared  not 
in  the  least  afraid  of  the  horrid  punihment  that  awaited 
her  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  wore  a  calm  and  pleasing 
countenance  ;  and,  when  the  fagots  were  lighted,  she 
lifted  up  her  hands  and  eyes  to  heaven,  in  which  pos- 
ture, she  quietly  resigned  her  soul  into  the  hands  of  her 
blessed  Redeemer ;  for  whose  most  holy  word,  she  pa- 
tiently suffered  here,  in  full  hopes  of  everlasting  life  in 
the  realms  above. 

The  Martyrdoms  of  Ralph  Aller ton,  James  Axvstoo,  Mar^ 
gery  Axvstoo,  his  wije^  and  Richard  Roth^  who  were 
idl  burnt  together  at  Islington^  near  London, 

Ralph  Allerton,  being  informed  against  by  several 
bigotted  papists  in  the  neighbourhood  where  he  lived, 
was  apprehended  on  suspicion  of  heresy  ;  and,  after  un- 
dergoing a  short  examination  before  a  magistrate,  was 
committed  to  prison. 

A  few  days  after,  he  was  brought  before  lord  Darcy, 
who  accused  him  of  not  only  absenting  himself  from 
church,  but  also  that,  by  preaching,  hr  had  persuaded 
others  to  follow  his  example. 


470  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

To  this,  Allerton  made  the  following  confession  :  that 
coming  to  his  parish  church,  and  finding  the  people  sit- 
ting there,  some  gazing  about,  and  others  gazing  on  un- 
profitable subjects,  he  exhorted  them  to  pray,  meditate 
on  God's  word,  and  not  sit  idle  ;  to  which,  they  willingly 
consented  ;  and,  after  prayer,  he  read  a  chapter  to  them 
out  of  the  New  Testament.  This  he  continued  to  do, 
for  some  time,  till  he  was  informed,  his  proceedings  were 
contrary  to  law,  as  he  was  neither  priest  nor  minister  ; 
upon  which,  he  desisted. 

He  likewise  confessed,  that  he  was  taken  up  for  read- 
ing in  the  parish  of  Welley  ;  but,  when  those  that  appre- 
hended him  understood  he  had  read  but  once,  and  that  it 
was  an  exhortation  to  obedience,  they  let  him  go  ;  after 
which,  being  afraid,  he  kept  in  woods,  barns,  and  soli- 
tary places,  till  he  was  apprehended. 

After  this  examination,  the  lord  Darcy  sent  him  to 
London  to  the  queen's  commissioners,  by  whom,  he  was 
referred  to  bishop  Bonner,  Avho  persuaded  him  publicly 
to  recant  his  profession  at  St.  Paul's  church,  and  then 
dismissed  him  ;  whereupon,  he  returned  into  the  country. 

He  was  greatly  troubled  in  his  conscience  for  what  he- 
had  done,  earnestly  repented  of  the  same,  and  openly 
professed  the  faith  he  had  shamefully  revoked,  til'  Tho- 
mas Tye,  priest  of  the  parish,  (who  had  been  a  professor 
of  the  truth,  but  was  now  a  persecutor)  caused  him  to 
be  apprehended,  and  again  brought  up  to  the  bishop  of 
London. 

When  he  came  before  the  bishop,  he  asked  him  the 
cause  of  his  being  brought,  telling  him,  he  believed  he 
was  wrongfully  accused,  unless  he  had  dissembled. 

Allerton  told  him,  that  he  was  not  guilty  of  what  was 
laid  to  his  charge,  and  desired  to  know  his  accusers, 
and  the  particulars  of  his  accusation,  in  order  that  he 
might  be  able  to  defend  himself. 

In  answer  to  this  request,  the  bishop  told  him,  that  if 
he  had  not  dissembled,  he  needed  not  to  be  afraid,  or 
ashamed  ;  and  urged  him  to  tell  hian,  if  he  dissembled  in 
his  former  recantation. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS,  477 

Aikrton  replied,  "  if  my  accusers  are  not  produced 
before,  you,  my  conscience  will  constrain  me  to  accuse 
myself;  for,  I  confess,  I  have  most  grievously  oftended 
God  by  my  dissimulation,  when  I  was  last  before  your 
lordship,  for  which,  I  am  now  heartily  concerned." 

When  the  bishop  inquired  the  cause  of  his  dissem- 
bling, he  replied,  "  My  lord,  if  your  lordship  remem- 
bers, I  set  my  hand  to  a  certain  writing,  the  contents 
of  which  were,  that  I  did  believe  in  all  things  as  the 
catholic  church  teacheth,  &c.  in  which,  I  did  not  dis- 
close my  mind,  but  most  shamefully  dissembled,  as  I 
made  no  distinction  between  the  true  church  and  the 
false  one." 

Being  called  upon  to  declare  w^hat  he  thought  to  be 
the  true  church,  he  would  not  allow  the  church  of 
Rome  to  be  so ;  but  said,  that  on  the  contrary,  those 
christians  who  were  persecuted  by  the  Romish  church, 
were  members  of  the  true  catholic  church  of  Christ. 
Upon  which,  the  bishop  called  him  heretic,  and  sent  him 
to  the  Little-ease  prison,  at  Guildhall,  in  London. 

After  being  confined  there  a  whole  day,  the  bishop 
again  sent  for  him  ;  and,  in  the  presence  of  the  dean  of 
St^  Paul's,  and  the  chancellor  of  the  diocess,  produced 
some  writings,  which  Allerton  acknowledged  to  be  his. 
The  bishop  then  asked,  if  he  had^been  at  mass  since  he 
was  last  before  him  ;  to  which,  he  answered  in  the  nega- 
tive, declaring  that  he  had  neither  been  at  mass,  mattins, 
nor  any  otiier  strange  worshipping  of  God. 

The  chief  person  that  appeared  against  him  in  the 
court,  was  Thomas  Tye,  the  priest  of  the  ])arish,  who 
affirmed,  that  he  was  a  seditious  person,  and  had  stirred 
up  great  strife  in  the  neighbourhood  where  he  Hved, 

This,  with  other  complaints,  being  alleged  against 
him,  he  was  sent  to  prison  again,  and,  in  a  short  time, 
])rought  before  the  queen's  council,  who  deipaiidcd  of 
him  whether  he  believed,  that  after  the  word^^of  con- 
secration  spoken  by  the  priest,  there  remained  'no'brcad, 
but  the  very  body  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  God, 
and  man,  and  no  other  substance  under  the  form  of 
bread. 


478  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Oil  Allerton's  demanding  scripture  proof  for  this 
doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  the  bishop  asked  him,  if 
Christ  did  not  say,  '*  this  is  my  body  ?"  adding, '*  wilt 
thou  deny  these  words  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  or  was 
he  a  dissembler  ?''  ^'  No,  my  lord,  (replied  our  martyr) 
Christ  is  true,  and  all  men  are  liars ;  yet  I  must  refuse 
to  understand  the  words  of  our  Saviour  so  fantastically 
as  you  teach  or  take  them,  for  then  we  should  agree' 
with  the  heretics  called  Nestorians,  who  denied  that 
Christ  had  a  true  natural  body.  This,  methinks,  you 
do,  my  lord,  if  you  affirm  his  body  to  be  there,  because 
you  then  affirm  his  body  to  be  fantastical,  not  natural ; 
and  therefore  look  well  to  it  for  God's  sake." 

The  bishop,  after  severely  reprimanding  him  for  what 
he  had  said,  dismissed  him  ibr  the  present,  and  he  was 
re-conducted  to  prison. 

On  the  15th  of  the  month  called  May,  he  was  brought 
before  bishop  Bonner,  at  his  palace  in  London,  where 
the  following  articles  were  exhibited  against  him. : 

1.  That  he  was  of  the  parish  of  Much-Bently,  in  Es- 
sex, and  of  the  diocess  of  London. 

2.  That  on  the  10th  of  January  last  past,  Mr.  John 
Mordant,  preaching  at  St.  PauPs,  London,  the  said 
Ralph  A llerton  did  there  openly  submit  himself  to  the 
church  of  Rome,  with  the  rites  and  ceremonies  thereof. 

3.  That  he  did  consent  and  subscribe,  as  well  unto 
the  submission,  as  also  to  one  other  bill,  in  which  he 
granted,  that  if  he  should,  at  any  time,  turn  again  unto 
liis  former  opinions,  it  should  then  be  lawful  for  the  bish- 
op to  denounce  and  adjudge  him  as  a  heretic. 

4.  That  he  had  subscribed  to  a  bill,  wherein  he  af- 
firmed, that  in  the  sacrament,  after  the  words  of  conse- 
cration be  spoken  by  the  priest,  their  remain  still 
material  bread  and  material  wine  ;  and  that  he  believed, 
that  the  bread  is  the  bread  of  thanksgiving,  and  the 
memorial  of  Christ's  death  ;  and  that,  when  he  received 
it,  he  received  the  body  of  Christ  spiritually  in  his  soul, 
but  material  bread  in  substance. 

5.  That  he  had  openly  affirmed,  and  also  advisedly 
spoken,  that  which  is  contained  in  the  said  former  fourth 
article  last  before  specified. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  479 

6.  That  he  liad  spoken  against  the  bishop  of  Rome, 
with  the  see  and  church  of  the  same  ;  and  also  against 
the  seven  sacraments,  and  other  ceremonies  and  ordi- 
nances of  the  iame  church,  used  then  within  this  realm. 

7.  That  he  had  allowed  and  commended  the  opinions 
and  faith  of  Messrs.  Cranmcr,  Ridley,  Latimer,  and  oth- 
ers, of  late  burnt  within  this  reahn,  and  believed  their 
opinions  to  be  good  and  godly. 

8.  That  he  had  divers  times  affirmed,  that  the  religion 
used  within  this  realm,  at  the  time  of  his  apprehension, 
was  neither  good  nor  agreeable  to  God's  word,  and  that 
he  could  not  conform  himself  thereunto. 

9.-  That  he  had  affirmed,  that  the  book  of  common 
prayer,  set  forth  in  the  reign  of  king  Edward  VI.  was, 
in  all  parts,  good  and  godly  :  and,  that  the  said  Ralph, 
and  his  company,  being  prisoners,  did  daily  use  among 
themselves,  in  prison,  some  part  of  the  same  book. 

10.  That  he  had  affirmed,  that  if  he  were  out  of  pris- 
on,  he  would  not  come  to  mass,  mattins,  nor  even- song, 
nor  bear  taper,  candle,  nor  palm,  nor  go  in  procession, 
nor  would  receive  holy  water,  holy  bread,  ashes,  orpix, 
nor  any  other  ceremony  used  within  this  realm. 

11.  That  he  had  affirmed,  that  if  he  were  at  liber tv, 
he  would  not  confess  his  sins  to  any  priest,  to  receive  ab- 
solution of  him,  nor  yet  would  receive  the  sacrament  of 
the  altar,  as  it  was  then  used. 

12.  That  he  had  affirmed,  that  praying  to  saints,  and 
prayers  for  the  dead,  were  neither  good  nor  profitable  ; 
and  that  a  man  is  not  bound  to  fast  and  pray,  but  at  his 
own  will  and  pleasure  ;  neither  that  it  is  lawful  to  reserve 
the  sacrament,  nor  to  worship  it. 

13.  That  the  said  Ralph  Allerton  hath,  according  to 
these  affirmations,  abstained  and  refused  to  come  unto 
Ills  parish  church,  ever  since  tlie  10th  of  January  last,  or 
to  use,  receive,  or  allow  any  ceremonies,  sacraments,  or 
other  rites  then  used  in  the  church. 

To  these  articles,  our  martyr,  in  general,  answered  in 
the  affirmative,  objecting  only  to  that  clause  in  the  12th, 
*'  that  a  man  is  not  bound  to  fiist  and  pray,  but  at  his 
own  will  and  pleasure;"  and  confessed,  at  the  same 


48Q  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

time,  that  he  had  neither  fasted  nor  prayed  so  frequently 
as  was  his  duty  to  have  done. 

Many  arguments  were  used  by  Dr.  Derbyshire,  the 
bishop's  chanceilor,  and  others,  to  bring  Alierton  to  a 
recantation ;  but,  all  proving  ineffectual,  he  was  sent 
back  again  to  prison. 

A  few  days  after,  he,  with  his  fellow- martyrs,  was 
ordered  to  appear  before  bishop  Bonner,  at  his  palace 
at  Fulham,  where,  in  his  private  chapel,  he  judicially 
propounded  to  them  divers  articles,  the  particulars  of 
which  were  addressed  to  Ralph  Alierton,  in  the  following 
form. 

"  Thou,  Ralph  Alierton,  canst  not  deny  but  that 
the  information  given  against  thee,  and  remaining  now 
in  the  acts  of  this  court  of  thine  ordinary  Edmund  Bon- 
ner, bishop  of  London,  was,  and  is,  a  true  informa- 
tion." 

The  substance  of  the  information  was  this  : 

That  one  Lawrence  Edwards  had  a  child  unchristened, 
and  Tye,  the  curate,  asked  him,  why  his  child  was  not 
baptized  ?  Edwards  replied,  it  should  be  baptized  when 
he  could  find  one  of  his  own  religion. 

Tye,  told  him,  he  had  imbibed  those  notions  from 
some  busy  people,  who  go  about  to  spread  heresy.  Ed- 
wards acknowledged  he  had,  telling  him,  at  the  same 
time,  if  his  doctrine  was  better,  he  would  receive  it.  He 
then  produced  Alierton,  to  whom  the  curate  said,  if  he 
had  instructed  Edwards,  it  was  against  God's  command- 
ments to  enter  into  the  church.  On  this,  Alierton  thus 
addressed  the  people  who  were  present.  "  O  good  peo- 
ple, now  is  fulfilled  the  saying  of  the  priest  and  prophet 
Esdras,  viz.  The  fire  of  a  multitude  is  kindled  against 
a  few,  they  have  taken  away  their  houses,  and  spoiled 
their  goods.  Which  of  you  have  not  seen  this  day  ? 
Who  is  here  among  you  that  seeth  not  all  these  things 
done  upon  this  day  ?  The  church,  unto  which  they  call 
us,  is    the  church  of  antichrist,  a  persecuting  church." 

This  was  the  cause  of  his  being  apprehended,  and  sent 
up  to  the  bishop  of  London. 


P£RSECl/TED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  ASl 

He  was  also  charged  with  writing  several  letters,  and 
other  things,  which  were  found  on  hiin  in  prison.  He 
confessed,  when  they  were  produced,  that  he  had  written 
them,  and  that  they  were  intended  to  be  sent  to  some  per- 
sons that  were  in  the  prison  for  the  sake  of  the  gospel,  at 
Colchester,  where  they  were  afterwards  burnt. 

Allerton  was  then  dismissed,  and  the  examination  de- 
ferred to  the  afternoon,  when  several  other  articles  were 
objected  to  him  ;  but  these  being  mostly  false,  he  refused 
to  answer.  He  granted,  indeed,  that  he  disapproved  of 
the  mass  and  other  ceremonies,  that  were  contrary  to  tl^ 
express  word  of  God. 

When  the  decree  of  pope  Innocent  HI,  concerning  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar,  was  read  to  him  by  the  bishop,  he. 
declared,  he  regarded  it  not,  nor  was  it  necessary  that  any 
man  should  bcHeve  it* 

When  Bonner  asked  him,  what  he  had  to  allege,  why 
sentence  of  condemnation  should  not  be  passed  upon  him, 
he  briefly  answered,  "  my  lord,  you  ought  not  to  condemn 
me  as  a  heretic,  for  I  am  a  good  christian  :  but  do  as  you 
have  determined,  for  I  perceive  that  right  and  truth  are 
suppressed)  and  cannot  now  appear  upon  earth.'' 

In  consequence  of  this  answer,  Allerton  was  condemn- 
ed as  a  heretic,  and  immediately  delivered  over  to  the  sec- 
ular power. 

James  Awstoo,  and  Margery,  his  wife,  were  next  examin- 
ed,  when  the  bisliop,  among  other  things,  asked  the  former, 
if  he  had  been  confessed  in  Lent,  and  whether  he  had  re- 
ceived the  sacrament  at  Easter  ? 

Awstoo  replied,  he  had  been  confessed  by  the  curate  of 
Allhallows,  Barking,  near  the  tower  of  London  ;  but  that 
he  had  not  received  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  because  he 
detested  it  as  an  abominable  idol. 

The  bishop  then  asked  Margery,  his  wife,  if  she  approv- 
ed of  the  religion  then  used  in  the  church  of  England  ? 
She  replied  in  the  negative,  affirming  it  to  be  corrupt  and 
antiscriptural ;  and  that  tlipsc  who  conformed  to  it,  were 
influenced  rather  by  fear,  than  a  conviction  that  it  was 
founded  on  the  word  of  God. 

3^ 


482  PEllSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Being  required,  by  the  bishop,  to  go  to  church,  hear 
mass,  and  pray  for  the  prosperity  of  the  queen,  she  de- 
clared her  abhorrence  of  mass,  and  that  she  would  not  come 
into  any  church  where  there  were  idols. 

The  bishop  then  made  use  of  the  most  forcible  argu- 
ments to  induce  them  to  recant ;  but  they  both  persisted 
in  their  faith  and  profession,  and  in  renouncing  all  po- 
pish doctrines  and  practices  ;  in  consequence  of  which, 
they  separately  received  sentence  of  condemnation,  and 
were  delivered' into  the  hands  of  the  sheriff,  in  order  for 
execution. 

Richard  Roth,  the  last  examined,  was  strongly  urged  by 
the  bishop  to  acknowledge  the  seven  sacraments,  as  also 
the  corporeal  presence  in  the  eucharist.  But  he  briefly 
told  him,  that  if  those  doctrines  were  taught  in  the  holy 
scriptures,  he  would  believe  them  ;  if  otherwise,  he  must 
reject  them. 

Being  examined  more  particularly  concerning  the  sac- 
rament  of  the  altar,  and  other  points,  he  plainly  declared, 
that,  in  that  ceremony,  there  were  not  the  very  body  and 
blood  of  Christ ;  but  that  it  was  a  dead  god,  and  the  mass 
was  abominable,  and  contrary  to  God's  holy  word  and  will, 
from  which  fliith  and  opinion,  he  was  determined,  through 
the  strength  of  divine  grace,  never  to  depart. 

He  was  afterwards  accused  of  being  an  encourager  of 
heretics,  and  that  he  had  written  divers  letters  to  certain 
persons  who  were  burnt  at  Colchester  ;  the  latter  of  which, 
he  frankly  acknowledged. 

Being  asked  his  opinion  of  Ralph  Allerton,  he  answer- 
ed, that  he  esteemed  him  as  a  sincere  servant  of  God; 
and  that,  if  hereafter,  at  any  time,  he  should  be  put  to 
death  for  his  faith  and  religion,  he  believed  he  would  die 
a  martyr  for  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  the  truth  of  his 
gospel. 

He  was  then  asked,  if  he  approved  of  the  order  luid 
rites  of  the  church  at  that  time  used  in  England?  To  which, 
he  answered  in  the  negative,  declaring  that  he  utterly  ab- 
horred them.  In  consequence  of  which,  he  received  sen- 
tence of  death,  and  was  immediately  delivered  to  the  sher- 
iif,  in  order  for  execution. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS,  4Sc» 

On  the  17th  of  September,  1557,  these  four  steadfast 
behevers  in  Christ  were  conducted  by  the  sheriff,  and  his 
attendants,  to  Ishni^ton,  (the  place  appointed  for  their  ex- 
ecution) wlicre  they  were  fastened  to  two  stakes,  and  con- 
sumed in  one  fire.  They  all  behaved  in  a  manner  truly 
consistent  with  their  situation,  and  as  became  the  real  fol- 
lowers of  Jesus,  cheerfidly  resigning  up  their  souls  in  tes- 
timony of  the  truth  of  his  most  holy  word- 


The  persecution  and  deaths  of  John  Hallingdale,  William 
Sparrow^  and  Richard  Gibson^  who  were  all  burnt  to- 
gether in  Smithfield. 

Informations  having  been  laid  agaiitst  these  three 
persons,  on  suspicion  of  heresy,  they  were  all  apprehend- 
ed ;  and,  after  being  confined  for  some  lime,  were  at 
length  brought  together  to  be  exam/med  before  Bonner, 
bishop  of  London,  when  articles  w^ere  exhibited  against 
each  separately,  and  their  respective  answers  required 
thereunto. 

The  first  person  examined  was  John  Hallingdale,  against 
whom,  the  following  articles  were  exhibited. 

1.  That  the  said  John  Hallingdale  is  of  the  diocess  of 
London,  and  subject  to  the  bishopof  London's  jurisdiction. 

2.  That  the  said  John,  before  the  time  of  the  reign  of 
Kdwarddie  Sixth,  late  king  of  England,  was  of  the  same 
laith  and  religion  that  were  then  observed,  believed,  taught 
and  set  forth  here  in  this  realm  of  England. 

3.  That  during  the  reign  of  the  said  Edward  the  Sixth, 
late  king  of  England,  upon  the  occasion  of  the  preaching  of 
certain  ministers  in  that  time,  he  did  not  abide  in  his  former 
faith  and  religion,  but  did  depart  from  them,  and  so  did, 
and  doth  continue,  till  this  present  day,  and  so  determincth 
to  do  (as  he  saith)  to  his  life's  end. 

4.  That  the  said  John  Hallingdale  hath  thought,  believ- 
ed, and  spoken,  divers  times,  that  the  faith,  religion,  and 
ecclesiastical  service,  received,  observed,  and  now  used 
in  this  realm  of  England,  are  not  good  and  lauda!)le,  but 


48'4  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS*' 

against  God's  commandment  and  word ;  especially  con- 
cerning the  mass  and  the  seven  sacraments  :  and  that  the 
said  John  will,  in  no  wise,  conform  himself  to  the  same,  but 
sj)eak  and  think  against  it  during  his  natural  body. 

5.  That  the  said  John  absenteth  himself  continually  from 
his  own  parish  church  of  St.  Leonard,  neither  hearing  mat- 
tins,  mass,  nor  even-song  ;  nor  yet  confessing  his  sins  to 
the  priest,  or  receiving  the  sacram.ent  of  the  altar  at  his 
hands,  or  in  using  other  ceremonies,  as  they  are  now  used 
in  the  churches  and  realm  of  England :  and,  as  he  remem- 
bereth,  he  never  came  but  once  into  the  parish  church  of 
St.  Leonard,  and  careth  not  (as  he  saith)  if  he  never  come 
there  any  more,  the  service  being  as  it  is  there  at  present, 
and  so  many  abuses  being  there,  as  he  saith  there  are,  es- 
pecially the  mass,  the  sacraments,  the  ceremonies,  and 
service  set  forth  in  Latin. 

6.  That  the  said  John,  when  his  wife,  called  Alice,  was 
brought  to  bed  of  a  man-child,  caused  the  said  child  to  be 
ehristened  in  English,  after  the  same  manner  and  form  in 
all  points,  as  were  used  in  the  time  of  king  Edward  the 
Sixth,  aforesaid,  and  caused  it  to  be  called  Joshua  ;  and 
would  not  have  the  said  child  christened  in  Latin,  after  the 
form  and  manner  now  used  in  the  church  and  realm  of 
England  ;  nor  will  have  it,,  by  his  will  (as  he  saith)  con- 
firmed by  the  bishop.. 

The  particulars  stated  in  all  these  articles,  our  martyr 
acknowledged  to  be  just ;  and  said,  he  would  not,  on  any 
condition  whatever,  revoke  his  answers. 

The  bishop  then  asked  him,  whether  he  did  firmly  be- 
lieve, that  in  the  sacrament,  commonly  called  the  sacra, 
ment  of  the  altar,  there  are  really  and  truly  the  very  body 
and  blood  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  or  not  ?  To  which,  Hal- 
lingdalc  made  answer,  that  he  neither  in  the  time  of  king 
Edward  IV.  nor  at  present,  did  believe,  that,  in  the  said 
sacrament,  there  are  really  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ : 
for,  if  he  had  so  believed,  he  would  (as  others  had  done) 
have  received  the  same,  which  he  did  not,  because  he  had 
believed,  and  then  did  believe,  that  the  very  body  of  Christ 
is  only  in  heaven,  and  no  where  else. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  485 

He  likewise  said,  that  Cranmer,  Latimer,  Ridley,  Hoop- 
er, and  many  others,  who  had  been  lately  burned  for  here- 
tics, were  far  otherwise,  as  they  all  preached  the  true  gos- 
pel. That,  on  their  preaching,  he  grounded  his  faith  and 
conscience,  according  to  the  saying  of  St.  John,  in  the  18th 
chapter  of  his  Revelation,  that  the  blood  of  the  prophets  and 
of  the  saints,  and  of  all  that  were  slain,  upon  earth,  was 
founded  in  the  antic hristian  church  ;  by  which,  is  under- 
stood, that  church  whereof  the  pope  is  head. 

After  this  examination,  he  was  re-conducted  to  prison; 
and,  the  next  day,  brought  again  before  tlie  bishop,  who 
used  his  utmost  endeavours  to  prevail  on  him  to  recant ; 
but,  finding  them  all  ineffectual,  he  read  the  sentence  of 
condemnation,  and  Jie  was  immediately  delivered  over  to 
the  secular  power. 

The  articles  exhibitedagainst  William  Sparrow,  were 
the  following  : 

1.  That  thou,  William  Sparrow,  wast,  in  times  past, 
detected  and  presented  lawfully  unto  thine  ordinary,  the 
bishop  of  London,  called  Edmund,  who  also  is  now 
thine  ordinary,  and  of  the  said  diocess  :  and  thou  wast 
presented  and  detected  unto  him  for  heresy,  errors,  and 
unlawful  opinions,  which  thou  didst  believe,  set  forth,  and 
hold. 

2.  That  thou,  before  thy  said  ordinary,  didst  openly  and 
judicially  confess  the  said  heresies,  errors,  and  unlawful 
opinions,  as  appeareth  plainly  in  the  acts  of  the  court 
made  before  thine  ordinary. 

3.  That  thou,  after  the  premises,  didst  make  thy  sub- 
mission in  writing,  and  didst  exhibit  and  deliver  the  same 
as  thy  deed  to  thy  said  ordinary,  openly  confessing  and  re- 
cognizing thy  heresies,  errors,  and  unlawful  opinions,  and 
thine  offences,  and  translations  in  that  behalf. 

4.  That  thou,  after  the  premises,  didst  promise  unto  thy 
said  ordinary,  voluntarily,  and  of  thy  outi  accord,  that  al- 
ways, after  the  said  submission,  thou  wouldst  in  all  points; 
conform  thyself  unto  the  common  order  of  the  catholic 
church,  observed  and  kept  here  in  this  realm  of  England, 
and,  in  no  wise,  fall  again  into  heresies,  errors,  or  unlawful 
opinions. 


4§6'  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

5.  That  thou,  since  thy  said  submission,  hast  willingly 
fallen  into  certain  heresies,  and  errors,  and  hast  holden  and 
set  forth  divers  unlawful  opinions,  to  the  very  great  hurt 
of  thy  own  soul,  and  also  to  the  great  hinderance  and  loss 
of  divers  others,  especially  against  the  sacrament  of  the 
catholic  church. 

6.  That  thou,  since  the  said  submission,  hast  willingly 
gone  about  divers  places  within  the  diocess  of  London,  nnd 
sold  divers  heretical,  erroneous  and  plasphemous  ballads, 
and  wast  apprehended  and  taken  with  the  ballads  about  thee, 
and  committed  to  prison. 

To  these  respective  articles,  Sparrow  gave  the  following 
answers. 

To  the  first,  second,  third,  and  fourth  articles,  he  an- 
swered affirmatively. 

To  the  fifth  article,  he  answ^ered,  that  if  he  had  spoken 
against  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  &c.  he  had  spoken  but 
the  truth. 

To  tlie  sixth,  he  answered,  that  he  granted  it ;  adding, 
that  he  did  sell  the  ballads  then  shewn  and  read  before 
him,  and  that  the  same  contained  God's  holy  word. 

After  this  examination,  he  was  sent  back  to  prison  ;  but, 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  he  was  again  brought 
before  the  bishop,  who  charged  him  with  his  former  sub- 
mission. ■ 

To  this  charge,  he  answered,  "  I  am  very  sorry,  that  I 
ever  made  it ;  for  it  was  the  worst  deed  I  ever  did." 

The  bishop  then  told  him,  that  he  went  to  church,  and 
there  was  confessed,  and  heard  mass. 

This,  Sparrow  acknowledged,  and  that  it  was  with  a 
troubled  conscience.  And  added,  "  that  which  you  call 
the  truth,  I  do  believe  to  be  heresy." 

Bonner  then  charged  him  with  the  contents  of  the  fifth 
article  ;  to  which,  he  answered,  that  he  had  done  as  was 
contained  in  that  article,  and  so  he  would  again,  were  he 
at  liberty. 

Being  then  asked  by  the  bishop,  whether  he  would  per- 
sist and  continue  in  the  same  ;  he  answered,  that  he  would 
not  go  from  his  opinion:  and  added,  '' that  which  you 
call  heresy   is  good  and  godly  ;  and,  if  every  hair  of  my 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  487 

♦  liead  were  a  man,  I  would  bum  them  all,  rather  than  go 
^  from  the  truth." 

After  this,  the  bishop  endeavoured  to  prevail  on  him  to 
recant,  saying,  tha,t  on  those  conditions,  he  should  be  dis- 
missed ;  but  Sparrow  continuing  resolute  in  his  faith  and 
opinions,  the  bishop  proceeded  to  read  the  sentence  of  ex- 
communication  against  him,  and  he  was  condemned  as  a 
heretic  ;  after  which,  he  was  delivered  into  the  hands  of  the 
sheriff,  and  by  him  again  conducted  to  prison. 

The  misfortunes  of  Richard  Gibson  arose  from  his  do- 
mg  a  singular  piece  of  service  to  one,  with  whom  he  was 
particularly  acquainted.  This  person  was  arrested  for  debt, 
when  Gibson  being  surety  for  him,  his  friend  treacher- 
ously fled,  and  he  not  not  being  able  to  discharge  the  debt, 
was  thrown  into  the  Poultry- compter,  where  he  remained 
upwards  of  two  years. 

When  he  was  about  to  be  released,  some  litigious  and 
bigotted  papist  laid  an  accusation  against  him,  to  the  bish- 
op of  London,  of  heresy,  because  he  had  never  confessed, 
nor  received  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  while  he  was  in 
confinement. 

In  consequence  of  this,  he  was  ordered  to  appear  before 
the  bishop,  who  examined  him  concerning  his  faith  and 
religion.  At  first,  he  seemed  to  make  a  certain  submission, 
which  was  recorded  in  the  bishop's  register  :  but  this  not 
appearing  sufficiendy  satisfactory,  the  following  articles 
were  exhibited  against  him. 

1.  That  the  said  Richard  Gibson,  prisoner  in  the  Comp- 
ter in  the  Poultry,  in  the  diocess  of  London,  hath,  otbcr- 
vv'isc  tjian  became  a  faithful  christian,  and  a  good  subject 
in  this  realm  of  England,  behaved  himself,  in  words  and 
deeds,  in  divers  conditions  and  points,  contrary  to  the  or- 
der, religion,  and  faith  of  Christ's  catholic  church,  and  con- 
trary to  the  order  of  this  realm,  to  the  pernicious  and  evil 
example  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  of  London,  and  the 
prisoners  of  the  prison  of  the  said  Compter  in  the  Poultry, 
and  greatly  to  the  hurt  and  damage  of  his  own  soul ;  of- 
fending, especially  in  the  articles  following  :  by  reason 
whereof,  the  said  Richard  Gibson  was  and  is,  in  the  juris- 
diction of  the  said  bishop  of  London,  and  subject  to  the 


488  rERSEClJTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

said  jurisdiction,  to  make  answer  to  his  offences  and 
transgressions  underwritten,  according  to  the  order  of  the 
law. 

2.  That  the  said  Richard  Gibson  hath  irreverently  spo- 
ken against  the  pope,  and  see,  and  church  of  Rome  ;  and 
likewise  against  the  the  whole  church  of  this  realm  of  Eng- 
land ;  and  against  the  seven  sacraments  of  the  catholic  and 
whole  church  of  Christendom  ;  and  against  the  articles  of 
the  christian  faith,  here  observed  in  this  realm  of  England; 
and  against  the  commendable  and  laudable  ceremonies  of 
the  catholic  church. 

3.  That  the  said  Richard  Gibson  hath  commended,  al- 
lowed, defended,  and  liked,  Cranmer,  Latimer,  and  Rid- 
ley ;  and,  also,  other  heretics  here  in  this  realm  of  Eng- 
land, according  to  the  ecclesiastical  laws  condemned  for 
heretics  ;  and,*also,  all  their  heretical,  erroneous,  damnable, 
and  wicked  opinions,  especially  against  the  sacrament  of 
the  altar,  and  the  authority  of  the  pope  and  see  of  Rome, 
with  the  whole  religion  thereof. 

4.  That  the  said  Richard  Gibson  hath  comforted,  aid- 
ed, assisted,  and  maintained,  both  by  words  and  otherwise, 
heretics  and  erroneous  persons,  or  at  least  suspected  and 
infamed  of  heresies  and  errors  condemned  by  the  catho- 
lic church,  to  continue  in  their  heretical  and  erroneous 
opinions  aforesaid,  favouring  and  counselling  the  same  un- 
to his  power. 

5.  That  the  said  Gibson  hath  affirmed  and  said,  that 
the  religion  and  faith  commonly  observed  and  kept,  and 
used  now  here  in  this  realm  of  England,  are  not  good  nor 
laudable,  nor  in  any  wise  agreeable  unto  God's  word  and 
commandment. 

6.  That  the  said  Richard  Gibson  hath  affirmed,  that  the 
English  service,  and  the  books  commonly  called  the  books 
of  communion,  or  common-prayer,  here  set  forth  in  this 
realm  of  England,  in  the  time  of  king  Edward  the  Sixth, 
were,  in  all  parts  and  points,  good  and  godly ,  and  the  same 
only,  and  no  other,  ought  to  be  observed  and  kept  in  this 
realm  of  England. 

7.  That  the  said  Gibson  hath  affirmed,  that  if  he  may 
at  once  be  out  of  prison,  and  at  liberty,  he  will  not  come  to 


PERSECUTED    BV    THE    PAPISTS.  48? 

''come  to  any  parish  church,  or  ecclesiastical  place,  to  hear 
the  mattins,  mass,  or  even-song,  or  any  divine  service, 
now  used  in  this  realm  of  England,  nor  come  to  the  pro- 
cession upon  times  and  days  accustomed,  nor  bear  at  any 
time  any  taper  or  candle,  or  receive  pix,  at  mass-time, 
nor  to  receive  holy  water,  nor  holy  bread,  nor  obbcrve 
the  ceremonies  or  usages  of  the  catholic  church  here  ob- 
served and  kept  commonly  in  this  realm  of  England. 

8.  That  the  said  Gibson  hath  affirmed,  that  he  is  not 
bound  at  any  time,  though  he  have  liberty,  and  the  pre- 
sence of  a  priest,  convenient  and  meet,  to  confess  his  sins 
to  the  said  priest,  nor  to  receive  absolution  at  his  hands, 
nor  to  receive  of  him  the  sacrament,  called  the  sacrament 
of  the  altar,  after  such  form  as  is  now  used  within  the  realm 
of  England. 

9.  That  the  said  Richard  Gibson  hath  affirmed,  that 
prayer  unto  saints,  or  prayers  for  the  dead,  are  not  lauda- 
ble, or  profitable  ;  and  that  no  man  is  bound,  at  any  time, 
or  in  any  place,  to  fast  or  pray,  but,  only  at  his  own  will 
and  pleasure  ;  and  that  it  is  not  lawful  to  reserve,  or  keep, 
the  said  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

Gibson  having  answered  these  respective  articles,  was 
dismissed  for  the  present ;  but  the  next  day,  was  again 
brought  before  the  bishop  for  a  farther  examination. 

Several  questions  were  put  to  him,  but  he  refused  an- 
swering to  eidier,  saying,  the  bishop  of  London  was  not 
his  ordinary. 

His  last  examination  was  at  the  bishop's  consistory- 
court,  where  Bonner,  after  some  discourse,  asked,  if  he 
knew  any  cause,  why  sentence  should  not  be  pronounc- 
ed against  him  ?  To  which,  he  told  the  bishop,  he  had  not 
any  thing  against  him  for  which  he  might  justly  condemn 
him. 

The  bisliop  then  told  him,  that  men  said,  he  was  an 
evil  man. 

Gibson  replied,  **  yea,  my  lord,  and  so  may  I  say  of  you 
also." 

After  this,  sentence  of  condemnation  was  read;  at  the  end 
of  which,  he  said,  "  blessed  am  I,  that  I  am  cursed  at 
your  hands." 

3r 


490  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    TAPISTS. 

He  was  then  delivered  to  the  sheriff,  who  conducted  him 
to  prison,  in  order  for  execution. 

On  the  18di  of  the  month  cailcd  November,  1557,  these 
three  faithful  servants  of  Christ  were  conducted  under  a 
proper  guard,  to  Smithfield,  where  they  were  all  fastened 
to  one  stake.  After  they  had,  for  some  time,  fervently 
prayed  to  God  to  enable  them  to  endure  the  fiery  trial, 
the  fagots  were  lighted,  and  they  all  cheerfully  resigned 
their  souls  into  the  hands  of  him  who  gave  them. 


The  sufferings  and  Martyrdoms  of  John  Roughs  minister, 
and  Margaret  Maring^  who  Viere  both  burnt  together 
in  SmithjiekL 

John  Rough  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  born  of  re- 
putable and  pious  parents.  Being  deprived  of  his  right 
of  inheritance  to  certain  lands  by  some  of  his  kindred,  he 
v\^as  so  irritated,  that,  though  very  young,  he  entered  him- 
self a  member  of  the  order  of  Black  Friars,  at  Stirling,  in 
Scotland. 

Here  he  continued  upwards  of  sixteen  years,  when  the 
earl  of  Arran,  then  regent  of  Scotland,  and  afterwards  duke 
of  Hamilton,  taking  a  liking  to  him,  applied  to  the  arch- 
bishop of  St.  Andrew's  to  dispense  with  his  professed  or- 
der, that  he  might  serve  him  as  his  chaplain. 
The  archbishop  readily  granting  t  he  earl's  request.  Rough 
^vas  disengaged  h'om  his  monastic  order,  and  contin- 
ued chaplain  to  his  patron  about  a  year  ;  when  it  pleased 
God  to  open  his  eyes,  and  give  him  some  knowledge  of 
the  truth  of  the  gospel. 

At  this  time,  the  earl  sent  him  to  preach  in  the  county 
of  Ayre,  where  he  continued  about  four  years,  during 
which  time,  he  discharged  the  duties  of  his  ofiice  with  the 
strictest  diligence. 

On  the  deadi  of  the  cardinal  of  Scotland,  he  was  sent 
for  to  officiate  at  St.  Andrew's,  for  which,  he  had  a  pension 
allowed  him  from  king  Henry  VHI. 

After  being  some  time  in  this  situation,  he  began  to  ab- 
hor the  idolatry  and  superstition  of  his  own  country  ;  and, 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  491 

when  he  found,  that  on  the  accession  of  Edu^rd  VI. 
there  was  free  profession  of  ihe  gospel  in  England,  he 
left  his  situation,  and  went  first  to  Carlisle,  ^here  he  was 
appointed  preacher,  as  also  to  Berwick,  and  Newcastle- 
upon-Tyne,  by  tlie  duke  of  Somerset,  protector  to  the 
young  king. 

A  short  time  after  this,  he  married,  and  the  archbisliop 
of  York  gave  him  a  benefice  near  tlie  town  of  Kings- 
ton upon  Hull,  which  he  enjoyed  till  tlie  death  of  the 
king. 

On  the  accession  of  queen  Mary,  when  the  religion 
was  altered,  and  persecution  took  place  in  all  parts  of  the 
kingdom,  Rough  fled  with  his  wife,  into  the  Low-Coun- 
tries, and  took  up  his  residence  at  a  place  called  Norden. 
Here  he  maintained  himself  by  knitting  and  selling  caps 
and  hose,  till  the  month  of  October,  1557,  when,  want- 
ing yarn,  and  other  necessaries  for  his  trade,  he  embarked 
for  England,  and  arrived  in  London  on  the  10th  of  No- 
vember following. 

Soon  after  his  arrival,  he  was  informed,  there  was  a 
private  congregation  of  religious  people  in  a  certain  part 
of  the  city,  which  having  found  out,  he  joined  them,  and 
was  elected  their  minister. 

In  this  offtce,  he  continued  for  some  time,  till,  at  the 
instigation  of  Roger  Serjeant,  a  hypocrite  and  false  broth- 
er, on  the  13th  of  December,  he,  together  with  one  Cuth- 
bert  Simpson,  deacon  of  the  aforesaid  congregation,  was 
apprehended  by  tb.e  vice- chamberlain  of  the  queen's 
household,  at  the  Saracen's-Head,  in  Islington,  where  the 
congregation  had  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  per- 
forming their  usual  worship  ;  and,  to  avoid  suspicion,  it 
had  1  >ecn  given  out,  that  their  meeting  was  co  hear  a  play. 

Rough  and  Simpson  were  both  conducted  by  the  vice- 
chamberlain,  to  the  queen's  council,  who  charged  them 
with  assembling  to  celebrate  the  communion  of  the 
Lord's  supper.  After  a  long  examination,  Simpson  was, 
for  the  present,  dismissed,  but  Rough  was  sent  prisoner 
to  Newgate. 

On  the  18th  of  December,  bishop  Bonner  ordered 
Rough  to  be  brought  before  him,  at  his  palace  in  Lon- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTSr 

don,  to  examine  him  concerning   his  religious  faith ; 
when  t-  e  foiiowing  articles  were  exhibited  against  him: 

1.  l"hat  thou,  John  Rough,  didst  directly  speak 
against  the  seven  sacraments  used  commonly  and  rever- 
ently, as  things  of  estimation  and  great  worth}  ness  in  the 
Catholic  churc!  ;  and,  also,  did>)t  reprove  and  condemn 
the  su^>stance  of  the  altiir,  affirming,  that  in  the  same,  are 
not  really  and  truly  the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ ; 
an(-  thit  conf«^'ssion  to  the  priest,  and  absolution  given 
hini  (by  the  nUnister  of  Christ)  for  sins,  are  not  necessary 
nor  available  in  any  wise. 

2.  Thou  h:ist  misliked  and  reproved  the  religion  and 
ecclesiastical  service,  as  it  is  now  used  in  this  realm  :  and 
hast  all'V/ed  the  religion  and  service  used  in  the  latter 
years  ot  king  Edward  the  sixth  ;  and  so  much  as  in  thee 
lieth.  hust,  by  word,  writing,  and  deed,  set  forw-.'.rd, 
taught,  atid  preached  the  same  openly  ;  and,  in  sundry 
plates,  affirmed,  that  the  said  English  service,  and  doc- 
trine therein  contained,  are  agreeable,  in  all  points,  to 
God's  word,  and  to  the  trut- . ;  condemned  utterly  the 
Latin  service  now  used  in  the  queen's  reign  ;  and  in- 
duced others,  by  thine  example,  to  do  the  same. 

5.  Thou  hast,  in  sundry  places  within  this  realm, 
commended  and  approved  the  opinion  and  doctrine  of 
Thomas  Cranmer,  late  archbishop  of  Canterburv-, 
Nicholas  Ridley,  and  Hugh  Latimer,  concerning  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar ;  affirming,  that  in  the  sacrament, 
there  remained,  after  the  words  of  consecration,  material 
bread,  and  material  wine,  without  any  transubstantiation. 

4.  That  thou  hast,  in  sundry  places  of  this  realm,  since 
the  queen's  reign,  ministered  and  received  the  commu- 
nion, as  it  was  used  in  the  late  days  of  king  Edward  VL 
and  thou  knowest,  or  credibly  hast  heard  of  divers,  thut 
yet  do  keep  books  of  the  said  communion,  and  use  the 
same  in  private  houses,  out  of  the  church,  and  are  of 
opinion  against  the  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

5.  Thou  dost  know,  and  hast  been  conversant  with 
all,  or  a  great  part  of  such  Englishmen,  as  have  fled  out 
of  the  realm  ;  and  hast  consented  and  agreed  with  them 
in  their  opinions,    and  hast  succoured,   maintained,  and 


PER  sir  CUT  ED     in'     THE     PAl'ISTS.  493 

helped  them  ;    and   hast  been  a  conveyor  of  their  seili- 
tious  letters  and  books  into  this  reahn. 

(>.  That  thou,  in  sunchv  places  ol"  this  reahn,  luist 
spoken  aiijainst  the  pope  of  Rome,  and  his  apostolic  see, 
and  hast  plainly  contemned  and  dispised  the  authority  of 
the  same,  mislikinLT,  and  not  allow  injj^  the  faith  and  doc- 
ti-ine  thereof,  but  directly  speaking;  ai^ainst  it  ;  and,  by 
thine  example,  hast  induced  others,  the  subjects  of  this 
realm,  to  speak  and  to  do  the  like. 

7.  That  thou  hast  said,  that  thou  hast  been  at  Rome, 
and  tajried  there  about  thirty  days,  or  more,  and  that 
thou  hast  seen  little  i^ood,  or  none,  there,  but  very  much 
evil.  Amonij^st  the  which,  thou  savvest  one  ijjreat  abomi- 
nation, that  is  to  say,  a  man  (or  the  pope)  that  should  i^o 
on  the  i2;round,  to  be  carried  upon  the  shoidders  of  four 
men,  as  thoui^h  he  had  been  (iod,  and  no  man.  Also,  a 
cardinal  to  have  his  harlot  ridinuj  oj)enly  behind  him. 
And,  thirdly,  a  pope's  bull,  that  p;ave  express  licence  to 
liave  and  use  their  stews,  and  to  keep  open  bawdry,  by 
the  po])e's  approbation  and  authority. 

8.  That  thou,  since  thy  last  cominp^  into  Knp^land, 
iVom  parts  beyond  sea,  hast  perniciously  allured  and 
comforted  divers  of  the  subjects  of  this  realm,  both 
yoimij^  and  old,  men  and  women,  to  ha\  e  and  use  the 
book  of  communion  set  ibrth  in  tliis  realm  in  the  latter 
da}  s  of  kiuL;-  Kdward  VI.  and  hast  also  th\  sell'  read  and 
set  forth  the  same,  causinjj^  others  to  do  the  like,  and  to 
leave  ofl*  their  cominju!^  to  their  parish  churches,  to  hear 
the  Latin  service  now  used. 

9.  That  thou,  the  thiid  Simday  of  Aehcnt,  the  12th 
of  l^ecember,  1557,  uasl  apj)rc  hendc d  at  the  Saracen's- 
Ilead  at  Islinj^ton,  in  the  countv  of  Middlesex,  and  dio- 
cess  of  London,  by  the  quei'n's  vice-chamberlain,  \\ilh 
one  Simpson,  a  tailor,  and  Hn.^h,  a  hosier,  and  divers 
othc  rs  there  assembled,  unch  r  the  colour  of  hearini!^  ii 
play,  to  have  read  the  eonnnnnion-book,  and  to  have 
used  the  accustomed  fashion,  as  was  in  tlu:  latur  days 
of  kini;^  I'.dward  \'l. 

To  these  respective  articles,  J^ougli  answered  as  fol- 
lows : 


494  PERSECUTEI)    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

To  the  first,  he  said,  that  he  had  spoken  against  the 
number  of  the  said  sacraments,  being  fuUy  persuaded 
that  there  are  only  two  sacraments,  to  wit,  baptism  and 
the  supper  of  the  Lord ;  and,  as  for  the  other  five,  he 
denied  them  to  be  sacraments,  and,  therefore,  had  spoken 
against  them. 

With  respect  to  the  sacrament  of  the  altar,  (which  he 
called  the  supper  of  the  Lord)  he  confessed,  that  he  had 
spoken  and  taught,  that,  in  the  said  sacrament,  there  are 
not  reaiiy  and  substantially  the  very  body  and  blood  of 
Christ ;  but  that  the  substance  of  both  bread  and  wine 
remains  in  that  sacrament,  without  any  change  being 
made  to  it  by  consecration. 

Concerning  the  ccnifession  of  sins,  he  said,  he  thought 
it  necessary,  provided  the  offence  was  done  to  the  priest, 
but  if  it  was  done  to  any  other,  then  it  was  not  neces- 
sary to  make  any  confession  to  the  priest ;  but  to  endea- 
vour to  obtain  a  proper  reconciliation  with  the  party 
offended. 

To  the  second  article,  he  answered,  that  he  did,  and 
had  before  misliked  the  order  of  the  Latin  service  then 
used,  and  also  did  allow  the  service  used  in  the  latter 
part  of  king  Edward's  reign  ;  for  that  the  holy  scripture 
hath  taught  the  same  ;  and,  therefore,  he  granted  that  he 
did  teach,  and  set  forth  the  said  English  service,  as  in 
the  said  article  was  objected. 

The  third  he  granted,  saying,  that  he  had  approved  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  parties  mentioned,  as  agreeable  to 
God's  word ;  and  they  were  godly,  learned  men,  and 
such  as  had  perfect  understanding,  as  in  the  contents  of 
the  same  article. 

To  the  fourth  article,  he  answered,  that  he  did  well  like 
the  communion  used  in  king  Edward's  days  ;  but  said, 
that  he  had  not  ministered,  nor  received  the  same  in 
England,  since  the  queen's  reign,  nor  yet  knew  any  that 
had  the  books  thereof;  but,  on  the  other  side  the  sea,  he 
knew  many  that  had  these  books,  and  that  there  also  he 
had  received  the  communion  in  sundry  places. 

To  tlve  fifth  article,  he  confessed,  that  he  had  been 
fatTiiiiar  with  many   English  men  and  women  in  Fries- 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  4^5 

land,  and  agreed  with  them  in  opinion ;  as  Story,  Tho- 
mas Young,  George  Roo,  and  others,  to  the  number  of 
one  hundred  persons,  who  fled  thither  on  account  of  then- 
religion,  using  the  same  as  was  set  forth  in  the  reign  of 
the  good  king  Edward  VI ;  but  otherwise  he  denied  the 
contents  of  the  article. 

The  sixth  and  seventh  articles,  he  acknowledged  to 
be  both  true. 

To  the  eiglith  article,  he  answered,  that  since  his  last 
coming  into  England,  (which  was  about  the  10th  of 
November)  he  had,  in  sundry  places,  in  the  suburbs  of 
London,  prayed  and  read  such  prayers  and  service  as  are 
appointed  in  the  book  of  communion,  and  had  desired 
others  to  do  the  like,  both  men  and  women,  whom  he 
knew  by  sight,  but  not  by  name.  However,  he  did  not 
cause  any  to  withdraw  themselves  from  the  Latin  ser- 
vice ;  but  only  said,  that  it  was  better  to  pray  in  a 
tongue  they  understood,  than  in  one  they  did  not. 

i'o  the  ninth  article,  he  confessed,  that  at  the  time, 
and  pkicc  mentioned,  he  was  present  to  hear  divine  ser- 
vice, and  there  was  apprehended  by  the  queen's  vice- 
chamberhiin,  with  one  Simpson,  a  tailor,  and  one  Hugh, 
a  hosier,  with  divers  others,  both  men  and  wom^n,  whose 
names  he  knew  not ;  and,  by  the  said  vice- chamberlain, 
was  brought  before  the  council,  who  sent  him  to  New- 
gate, from  whence  he  was,  soon  after,  brouglit  before 
the  bishop  of  London  ;  but  otherwise  he  denied  the  con- 
tents of  this  article. 

After  Rough  had  given  these  answers  to  the  rcspcciive 
articles  exhibited  against  him,  he  was  dismissed  for  the 
present ;   but  re- conducted  to  his  place  of  confinement. 

On  the  liiOih  of  December,  he  was  brou.qht  to  the  con- 
sistory-court at  St.  Paul's,  before  Dr.  Bonner,  bishop 
of  London,  the  bishop  of  St.  David's,  Dr.  Fecknam, 
abbot  of  Westminster,  and  others,  in  order  to  undergo  a 
final  examination. 

After  various  methods  used  by  the  court  to  persuade 
him  to  recant,  without  eficct,  Bonner  read  the  articles, 
with  his  answers,  before -mentioned.  He  tl  en  charged 
him  witli  marr\'ing,  after  having  received  priestly  orders  ; 


496  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS* 

and  that  he  had  refused  to  consent  to  the  Latin  service 
then  used  in  the  church. 

Rough  answered,  their  orders  were  of  none  elFect,  and 
that  the  children  he  had  by  his  wife  were  legitimate. 
With  respect  to  the  Latin  service  then  used,  he  said,  he 
utterly  detested  it,  and  that  if  he  was  to  live  as  long  as 
Methuselah,  he  would  never  go  to  church  to  hear  the 
abominable  mass. 

In  consequence  of  this  declaration,  the  bishop  pro- 
ceeded to  the  ceremony  of  degradation,  exempting  him 
from  all  the  benefits  and  privileges  of  their  church  ;  af- 
ter which,  he  read  the  sentence  of  condemnation ;  and 
Rough  being  delivered  to  the  sheriff,  was,  by  him,  re- 
conducted to  Newgate,  there  to  remain  till  the  time  ap- 
pointed for  his  execution. 

Margaret  Maring,  belonged  to  a  private  congregation 
in  London,  where  Rough  used  to  officiate.  She  was  ap- 
prehended and  brought  before  the  bishop  of  London, 
who,  after  examination,  sent  her  prisoner  to  Newgate. 
She  was  afterwards  brought  before  the  bishop,  a  second 
and  third  time,  and,  after  a  further  examination,  and 
using  various  arguments  to  prevail  on  her  to  recant, 
witiiout  effect,  she  was  delivered  to  the  sheriff  for  execu- 
tion, who  re- conducted  her  to  Newgate. 

On  the  22d  of  December,  1557,  she,  with  her  fellow- 
martjr,  John  Rough,  was  conducted,  by  the  proper  offi- 
cers, to  Smithfield,  where  they  were  both  fastened  to  one 
stake,  and  burnt  in  the  same  fire.  They  both  behaved 
themselves  with  true  christian  fortitude,  and  cheerfully 
gave  up  their  lives,  in  testimony  of  the  truth  of  that  gos- 
pel, which  was  professed  by  him  from  whom  they  hoped 
to  receive  an  eternal  reward  in  his  heavenly  kingdom. 

The  deaths  of  these  two  martyrs  closed  the  horrid  and 
bloody  transactions  of  the  year,  1557.  We  shall  now 
proceed  to  a  relation  of  those  that  occurred  in  the  suc- 
ceeding year,  which  happily,  by  the  queen's  death,  put 
an  end  to  human  sacrifices  in  this  kingdom. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS*  497, 

The  sufferings  and  Martyrdoms  oj  Cuthhert  Simpsoiiy 
Hugh  Fox,  and  John  Davenish,  who  were  all  bitrnt 
together  in  Smithjield. 

These  three  persons  were  apprehended  together  at 
Ishngton,  at  the  same  time  with  John  Rough,  and,  being 
brought  before  the  queen's  council,  were  committed  to 
different  prisons. 

Cuthbert  Simpson,  who  was  deacon  of  the  same  con- 
gregation of  which  Rough  was  pastor,  was  committed 
prisoner  to  the  Tower,  where  he  was  examined  by  the 
recorder  of  London,  and  one  Chohnley,  who  commanded 
him  to  declare  what  persons  he  had  called  upon,  or  sum- 
moned, to  come  to  the  English  service  ;  but  he  peremp- 
torily told  them,  lie  would  not  comply  with  their  request. 

They  then  ordered  him  to  be  put  to  the  rack,  on 
which  he  laid,  in  great  agonies,  upwards  of  tliree  hours^ 
While  he  was  in  the  most  excruciating  torments,  they 
asked  him  the  same  question  as  they  had  done  before, 
and  he  made  the  same  answer.  He  was  then  loosed 
from  the  rack,  and  conducted  to  the  room  appointed  for 
his  confinement. 

Soon  after,  he  was  again  brought  to  the  room  in 
which  lie  had  been  racked,  when  the  recorder  of  London, 
and  the  lieutenant  of  the  Tower,  once  more  desired 
him  to  confess ;  but  still  he  refused,  saying,  he  was  de- 
termined not  to  satisfy  them. 

They  then  tied  his  two  fore-fingers  together,  with  a 
small  arrow  between  tliem  :  this  done,  they  drew  the  ar- 
row backward  and  forward  so  quick,  that  the  blood  fol- 
lowed, and  the  arrow  broke  ;  after  which,  they  racked 
him  twice,  and  then  conducted  hinvto  his  dungeon. 

About  ten  days  after  this,  the  lieutenant  asked  him 
again,  if  he  would  confess  what  had  been  repeatedly 
asked  by  himself,  and  the  recorder  ?  to  which,  Simp- 
son answered,  that  he  would  say  no  more  than  he  had 
said. 

He  was  afterwards  taken  before  the  bishop  of  London 
for  further  examination. 

Hugh  Fox,  and  John  Davenish,  were  next  examined. 

3  s 


498  TXRSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Their  respective  answers  being  all  written  down,  they 
were  afterwards  read  to  them ;  when,  they  persisting  and 
continuing  steadflist  in  their  faith  and  opinions,  the  bishop 
pronounced  the  difinitive  sentence  ;  and  they  Avere  all 
delivered  over  to  the  secular  power. 

While  Cuthbert  Simpson  was  in  the  consistory- court, 
bishop  Bonner  took  particular  notice  of  him  to  the  peo- 
ple. **  Ye  see,"  said  he,  *'  this  man,  what  a  personable 
man  he  is  ;  and  I  tell  you,  that  if  he  were  not  an  heretic, 
he  is  a  man  of  the  greatest  patience  that  ever  came  be- 
fore  me.  He  hath  been  twice  racked  in  one  day  in  the 
Tower,  and  also,  in  my  house,  he  hath  felt  much  sorrow, 
and  yet  I  never  saw  his  patience  broken." 

On  the  28th  of  the  month  called  March,  1558,  these 
three  steadfast  believers  in  Christ  were  conducted  by  the 
sheriffs,  and  their  proper  officers,  to  Smithfield,  where 
they  were  all  flistened  to  one  stake,  and  burnt  in  the  same 
Ere.  They  behaved  with  true  christian  fortitude  to  the 
last,  praising  and  glorifying  God,  that  he  had  enabled 
them  to  go  through  the  horrid  punishment  allotted 
them,  for  no  other  reason  but  their  strict  adherence  to 
the  truth  of  his  most  holy  gospel. 

About  this  time,  one  William  Nicoll,  of  Haverford- 
West,  in  Pembrokeshire,  was  apprehended  for  speaking 
disrespectfully  of  the  church  of  Rome  ;  and  being  con- 
demned as  a  heretic,  was  burnt  in  said  town,  on  the  9th 
of  the  month  called  April,  1558.  But  the  particulars  of 
his  examination,  &:c.  are  not  recorded. 

The  perseciitidns  and  Martyrdoms  of  William  Seaman^ 
Thomas  Carman,  and  Thomas  Hudson^  who  were  all 
burnt  together  at  Norxvich. 

William  Seaman  was  a  husbandman,  of  a  relig- 
ious turn  of  mind,  and  a  strict  professor  of  the  truth  of 
the  gospel.  He  was  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  the  po- 
pish emissaries  by  tlie  perfidy  of  a  neighbour ;  and  being 
taken  before  Sir  John  Tyrrel  for  examination,  he  com- 
mitted Seaman  to  prison  ;  and,  the  next  day,  he  was  sent 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  499 

to  Dr.  Hopton,  bishop  of  tlie  diocess,  who,  after  a  short 
cxamhiation,  passed  sentence  of  condemnation  on  him, 
and  he  was  delivered  over  to  the  secular  power. 

Thomas  Carman,  who  had  been  apprehended  a  short 
time  before,  was  brought  before  the  bishop,  for  examin- 
ation, on  the  same  day ;  when,  asserting  the  cause  of 
Christ  with  no  less  warmth  than  the  former,  he  was  con- 
signed to  the  same  inhuman  and  merciless  punishment. 

Thomas  Hudson,  was  by  trade  a  glover,  and  lived  at 
the  town  of  Aildesham,  in  Norfolk.  Though  destitute 
of  any  education  in  his  younger  years,  yet,  by  his  dili- 
gence and  love  of  the  gospel,  as  preached  in  the  days  of 
king  Edward,  he  had  learned  to  read,  became  well  versed 
in  the  sacred  book  of  God,  and  grounded  in  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints. 

Disapproving  the  doctrines  and  practices  set  forth 
under  the  reign  of  queen  Mary,  he  absented  himself 
from  his  native  place,  went  into  Suffolk,  and  there  con- 
tinued travelling  from  one  part  to  another,  as  occasion 
required. 

On  the  19th  of  the  month  called  May,  1558,  these 
three  steadfast  believers  in  Christ  were  conducted  to  the 
place  appointed  for  their  execution,  called  Lollard's  Pit, 
without  Bishopsgate,  at  Norwich.  As  soon  as  they  ar- 
rived at  the  fatal  spot,  they  all  kneeled  down,  and  sever- 
ally  offered  up  their  prayers  to  God,  to  enable  them  to 
undergo,  with  christian  fortitude,  the  fiery  trial  that 
awaited  them,  and  they  all  cheerfully  resigned  their  souls 
into  the  hands  of  that  God  who  had  protected  and  sup- 
ported tliem  under  their  sufferings  for  his  name's  sake. 

About  the  same  time  these  three  men  were  burnt  at 
Norwich,  three  others  suffered  at  Colchester ;  namely, 
William  Harris,  Richard  Day,  and  Christian  George. 

They  all  willingly  sut^mitted  to  their  fate,  and  cheer- 
fully resigned  up  tlieir  lives  in  testimony  of  the  truth  of 
the  gospel. 


500  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  persecution  and  sufferings  of  PFilliam  Petty  ^  a  lad  of 
twelve  years  of  age^  who  was  so  barbarously  scourged  in 
bishop  Bonne  f  s  palace  in  London^  that  it  occasioned  his 
death. 

If  dying  innocently  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  his 
religion,  constitutes  the  character  of  a  martyr,  no  one 
can  be  more  entitled  to  a  place  in  our  catalogue  than 
this  youth,  who  was  unmercifully  scourged  to  death,  at 
the  instigation  of  the  relentless  and  cruel  Bonner. 

Among  those  who  were  persecuted  and  imprisoned  for 
the  profession  of  Christ's  gospel,  and  yet  delivered  by 
the  providence  of  God,  was  John  Fetty,  the  father  of  the 
lad  under  consideration.  He  had  been  accused,  by  his 
own  wife,  to  the  minister  of  the  parish  in  which  he  lived, 
of  absenting  himself  from  church,  the  sacrament  of  the 
altar,  confession,  and  other  ceremonies ;  for  neglect  of 
which,  he  was  apprehended  by  one  of  the  officers  em- 
ployed  for  that  purpose.  He  was  afterwards  released. 
But  was  again  apprehended,  and  carried  before  Sir  John 
Mordaunt,  one  of  the  queen's  commissioners,  by  whom, 
after  examination,  he  was  sent  to  Lollard's  Tower*, 
where  he  was  put  into  the  stocks,  and  had  a  dish  of 
water  set  by  him,  with  a  stone  in  it,  to  point  out  to  him, 
that  it  was  the  chief  substance  he  might-  expect  to 
receive. 

After  he  had  been  in  prison  for  the  space  of  fifteen 
days,  (the  greatest  part  of  which  time  he  was  kept  in  the 

*  Lollard's  Tower  was  a  larj^e,  detached  room,  belonging-  to  bishop  Bon- 
ner's palace,  in  London,  and  formed  as  a  prison  of  the  most  gloomy  nature. 
It  was  set  apart  for  the  punishment  of  protestants,  (called  Lollards)  w!io 
•v^'cre  brought  before  him  on  an  accusation  of  heresy,  and  who  were  here  sub- 
jected to  >  arious  tortures,  at  the  discretion  of  that  biggotted  and  merciless 
tyrant.  The  most  common  punishment  inflicted  was,  setting  them  in  the 
stocks,  some  of  whom  were  fastened  by  the  hands,  and  otliers  by  the  feet. 
They  were,  in  general,  permitted  to  sit  on  a  stool,  but,  to  increase  the  punish- 
ment, sorae  were  deprived  of  that  indulgence,  so  that  lying  with  their  backs 
on  the  ground,  their  situation  became  exceeding  painful.  In  this  dungeon, 
and  uncier  these  tortures,  they  were  kept,  some  for  several  days,  and  otliers 
for  weeks,  without  any  other  sustenance  than  bieadand  water;  and  to  add  to 
their  affliction,  they  were  prohibited  from  being  seen  by  their  relations,  or 
friends.  Many  of  those  who  had  tender  constitutions,  fell  under  the  coji- 
'jiict;  but  those  who  weie  otherwise,  escaped,  and  lived  tQ  execrate  tl;e  name 
cf  their  inhuman  persecutor. 


PERSECUTED    liY    THE    PAPISTS.^  501 

stocks,  sometimes  by  one  leg,  and  sometimes  by  the  oth- 
er) William  Fetty,  one  of  his  sons,  came  to  the  bishop's 
palace,  in  order  to  obtain  permission  to  see  him. 

When  he  arrived  there,  one  of  the  bishop's  chaplains 
asked  him  his  business  ;  the  boy  replied,  he  wanted  to 
see  his  father,  at  the  same  time,  shedding  tears,  and  ex- 
pressing the  greatest  unhappiness.  The  chaplain  asked, 
who  was  his  father;  and,  when  the  boy  told  him,  he 
pointed  towards  Lollard's  Tower,  intimating,  that  he  was 
there  confined. 

The  chaplain  then  told  him,  his  father  was  a  heretic  ; 
to  which,  the  boy  (who  was  of  a  bold  and  forward  spirit, 
and  had  been  instructed  by  the  father  in  the  reformed 
religion)  answered,  "my  father  is  no  heretic:  but  you 
have  Balaam's  mark." 

On  this,  the  incensed  priest  took  the  boy  by  the  hand, 
and  led  him  to  a  large  room  in  the  palace,  where  he 
scourged  him  in  the  most  severe  and  unmerciful  manner; 
after  which,  he  ordered  one  of  his  servants  to  carry  him 
in  his  shirt  to  his  father,  the  blood  running  down  to  his 
heels. 

As  soon  as  he  saw  his  father,  he  fell  on  his  knees,  and 
craved  his  blessing.  The  poor  man,  beholding  his  Cnild 
in  so  dreadful  a  situation,  exclaimed,  with  ijreat  grief, 
"  alas  !  .son,  who  hath  thus  cruelly  treated  you?"  the  boy 
replied,  "  seeking  to  find  you  out,  a  priest,  with  Balaam's 
mark,  took  me  into  the  bishop's  house,  and  treated  me 
in  the  manner  you  see." 

The  servant  then  seized  the  boy  with  great  wrath,  and 
dragging  him  from  his  father,  led  him  back  to  the  place 
where  he  had  been  scourged  by  the  priest.  Here  he  was 
kept  three  days,  in  the  course  of  which,  his  former  pun- 
ishment was  several  times  repeated,  though  not  in  so  se- 
vere a  manner  as  before. 

At  the  expiration  of  that  time,  Bonner,  in  order  to 
make  some  atonement  for  this  cruel  treatment  of  the 
boy,  and  to  appease  the  father,  determined  to  release 
both  of  them.  He,  therefore,  ordered  the  latter  to  be 
brought  before  him,  in  his  bed-chamber,  early  in  tlic 
mornin.o:. 


502  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

When  the  poor  man  came  before  the  bishop,  he  said, 
'^  God  be  here,  and  peace.''  To  which,  the  bishop  repli- 
ed, "  that  is  neither  Godspeed,  nor  good- morrow." 

One  of  the  bishop's  chaplains  standing' by ,  reviled  Fet- 
ty  for  the  speech  he  had  made  ;  when  he,  after  looking 
about,  and  spying  a  bundle  of  black  beads,  and  a  small 
erucifix,  said,  *'  as  Christ  is  here  handled,  so  you  deal 
with  Christ's  chosen  people." 

The  bishop  was  so  enraged  at  this,  that  he  called  him 
a  vile  heretic,  and  said,  "  I  will  burn  thee,  or  I  will  spend 
all  that  I  possess."  However,  in  a  little  time,  his  passion 
cooled,  and  thinking  of  the  consequences  that  might  arise 
from  scourging  the  child,  he  ordered  them  both  to  be 
discharged. 

The  father  immediately  went  home  with  his  son ;  but 
the  poor  boy,  from  an  extraordinary  effusion  of  blood, 
and  a  mortification  which  ensued,  died  a  few  days  after, 
to  the  great  grief  of  his  persecuted  and  indulgent  pa- 
rent. 

The  old  man  remained,  without  farther  persecution, 
during  the  residue  of  his  life,  often  praising  God  for  de- 
livering him  out  of  the  hands  of  his  enemies. 


The  Martyrdoms  of  Robert  Mills ^  Stephen  Cotton,  Rob- 
ert Dines^  Stephen  IFight^  John  Slade,  and  William 
Pikes ^  who  were  all  burnt  together  at  Brentford^  in 
Middlesex. 

These  six  men  were  apprehended,  with  several  oth- 
ers, in  a  close  near  Islington,  where  they  had  assembled 
to  pay  their  devotions  to  their  Maker  ;  and,  being  taken 
before  a  magistrate,  were  committed  to  prison  on  suspi- 
cion of  heresy.  ^ 

A  few  days  after  their  apprehension,  they  were  brought 
before  Dr.  Thomas  Derbyshire,  the  bishop  of  London's 
chancellor  for  examination. 

After  which,  they  were  re- conducted  to  prison,  but 
ordered  to  appear  on  the  11th  of  the  month  called 
July,  at  the  consistory-court  at  St.  Paul's.    Accordingly, 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  503 

on  that  day,  they  were  brought  before  the  bishop  and  his 
chancellor,  by  the  latter  of  whom,  they  were  asked,  if 
they  would  turn  from  their  opinions  against  the  holy 
mother- church  ;  and,  if  not,  whether  they  would  shew 
cause  why  sentence  of  condemnation  should  not  be  pro- 
nounced against  tl:kem.  To  this,  they  all  answered,  that 
they  would  not  go  from  the  truth,  nor  any  part  of  the 
same  on  any  conditions  whatever. 

The  chancellor  then  dismissed  them,  but  ordered,  that 
they  should  appear  again  before  him  the  next  day,  in  the 
afternoon,  to  hear  the  definitive  sentence  pronounced, 
agreeable  to  the  ecclesiastical  law  then  in  force. 

They  were  accordingly  brought  at  the  time  appointed, 
when  the  chancellor  sat  as  judge,  accompanied  by  sir  Ed- 
ward Hastings,  and  sir  Thomas  Corn wallis.  The  chan- 
cellor used  his  utmost  endeavours  to  prevail  on  them  to 
recant  their  opinions  ;  but  they  all  proved  ineffectual. 
He,  therefore,  read  the  sentence  of  condemnation  ;  and 
they  were  delivered  over  to  the  sheriffs,  who  conducted 
them  to  prison,  in  order  for  execution. 

The  chancellor,  having  condemned  these  six  innocent 
persons,  sent  a  certificate  of  their  condemnation  to  the 
lord  chancellor's  office,  from  whence,  the  next  day,  a  writ 
WQs   issued  for  their  being  burnt  at  Brentford. 

On  the  14th  day  of  the  month  called  July,  1558,  they 
were  conducted  by  tlie  sheriffs,  and  their  attendants,  froni^ 
Newgate,  to  the  place  appointed  for  their  execution. 
As  soon  as  they  arrived  at  the  fatal  spot,  they  all  kneel- 
ed dowr^  and,  for  some  time,  prayed  in  the  most  fervent 
manner.  After  this,  they  arose,  and,  undressing  them 
selves,  went  cheerfully  to  the  stakes,  of  which,  tliere 
were  three  in  number,  though  all  consumed  in  the  same 
fire.  Being  bound  to  the  stakes,  and  the  fagots  lighted, 
they  all  quietly  yielded  up  their  souls  to  tliat  God,  for 
whose  gospel  they  suffered,  and  whose  heavenly  mansions 
they  were  in  hopes  of  inheriting. 

A  few  days  after  tli£  execution  of  the  before  mentioned 
six  martyrs  at  Brentford,  seven  others,  apprehended  with 
them,  at  the  same  time  and  place,  were  burnt  in  Smith- 
field;  namely,  Henry  Pond,  Rainhold  Plastland,  Robert 


504.  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Southam,  Matthew  Ricarby,  John  Floyd,  John  Holiday, 
and  Roger  Holland. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  month  called  August,  four 
men  were  burnt  at  St.  Edmund's  Bury,  in  Suffolk. 
Their  names  were  John  Cooke,  Robert  Miles,  Alexan- 
der Lane,  and  James  Ashley. 


The  persecution  and  sufferings  of  Cicely  Ormes,  who  was 
burnt  at  Norwich. 

This  woman  was  one  of  the  spectators  at  the  burning 
of  Simon  Miller,  and  Elizabeth  Cooper  (before  mention- 
ed) ;  and  was  apprehend^  for  saying,  she  would  pledge 
them  of  the  cup  of  whfRi  they  drank,  viz.  success  to 
the  true  cause  of  Christ,  and  destruction  to  the  usurpa- 
tion of  papists. 

This  poor  w^oman  had  been  before  apprehended,  and, 
after  being  some  time  confined,  by  the  advice  of  her 
friends,  and  fearing  the  horrors  of  death,  she  recanted, 
and  thereby  obtained  her  liberty.  But  she  could  not  en- 
joy a  moment  of  peace  after  :  she,  therefore,  abjured  the 
abominable  errors  she  had  confessed,  and  determined  to 
iidhere  inviolably  to  the  true  gospel  of  Christ. 

On  the  23d  of  September,  1558,  she  was  conducted  to 
the  usual  place  of  execution  for  martyrs,  without  Bish- 
opsgate.  As  soon  as  she  arrived  at  the  stake,  she  kneeled 
down,  and,  after  making  her  fervent  prayers  to  God,  thus 
addressed  the  spectators  : 

"  Good  people,  I  believe  in  God  the  Father,  God  the 
Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost  :  this  I  do  not,  nor  will 
recant ;  but  I  renounce  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  the 
principles  and  practices  set  forth  by  the  church  of  Rome, 
and  never  will  have  to  do  with  them;  by  the  grace  of 
God,  to  my  life's  end. 

''  I  would  not  have  you  think,  good  people,  that  I  ex- 
pect to  be  saved,  because  I  ofier  myself  here  Unto  death 
for  the  truth's  sake  ;  no,  I  trust  for  acceptance  with  God, 
justification  in  his  sight,  and  eternal  redemption  on  the 
merits  and  passion  of  Jesus  Christ  alone.'' 


t>ERSECUTED    BY    THE    l-APIStS.  BOS 

After  this,  she  embraced  the  stake,  and  said,  "  wel- 
come, the  cross  of  Christ." 

Being  fastened,  and  the  fagots  lighted,  she  spoke,  with 
an  audible  voice,  these  words  :  *'  my  soul  doth  magnify 
the  Lord,  and  my  spirit  rejoiceth  in  God  my  Saviour.'* 
These  were  the  last  words  she  was  heard  to  say  ;  for  the. 
fire  burning  rapidly,  she  soon  gave  up  the  ghost,  quietly 
resigning  her  life  in  testimofiy  of  the  truth  of  God's  most 
holy  word. 


T/ic  Martyrdoms  of  Alexander  Gouch,  and  Alice  Driver, 
who  were  burnt  together  at  Ipswich^  in  Suffolk. 

These  two  persons  having  been  suspected  of  heresy, 
were  apprehended,  and  after  a  short  examination  relative 
to  their  religious  sentiments,  were  committed  to  Melton 
gaol. 

After  undergoing  another  examination  separately,  they, 
for  their  steadfastness  in  their  faith  and  opinion,  received 
sentence  of  condemnation  as  heretics,  and  were  delivered 
to  the  secular  power  to  be  put  to  death. 

On  the  4th  of  November,  1558,  they  were  taken  from 
the  gaol  to  Ipswich,  escorted  by  the  high^-sheriff  and  his 
officers,  and  accompanied  by  a  prodigious  number  of 
spectators. 

When  they  came  to  the  stake,  they  sang  psalms  to- 
gether, then  kneeled  down,  and  fervently  prayed  for  some 
time  ;  at  which,  the  sheriff  was  so  offended,  that  he  order- 
ed the  bailiffs  to  interrupt  them,  and  desire  they  would 
make  an  end. 

On  this,  Gouch  arose,  and  said,  ^*do,  Mr.  Sheriff,  let  us 
pray  a  little  while,  for  we  have  but  a  short  time  to  live 
here."  But  this  was  forbidden  ;  and  the  bailiffs,  were  or- 
dered immedately  to  prepare  them  for  the  fire. 

Without  farther  delay,  they  were  fastened  to  the  stake, 
when  many  of  the  spectators  shook  them  by  the  hands, 
notwithstanding  the  sheriff  threatened  them  for  their  pre- 
sumption. The  fagots  being  lighted,  they  joyfully  resign- 

'3t 


500  PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS. 

ed  up  their  souls  to  God,  their  last  words  being,  **  into 
thy  hands,  O  Lord,  we  commit  our  spirits." 

About  the  same  time,  and  for  the  same  cause,  three 
men  were  burned  at  St.  Edmund's  Bury,  in  Suffolk,  viz. 
Philip  Humphrey,  John  David,  and  Henry  David,  his 
brother.  But  the  'particular  account  of  their  examina- 
tions and  deaths  is  not  recorded. 


The  sufferings  and  Martyrdom  of  Elizabeth  Frest,  who 
was  burnt  at  Exeter. 

This  poor  woman  was  the  wife  of  a  labouring  man, 
and  lived  at  a  small  village  near  the  town  of  Launceston, 
in  Cornwall.  Her  husband,  and  three  children,  were 
zealous  papists  ;  and  she  would  frequently  rebuke  them 
for  their  superstition  ;  but  he,  being  the  superior,  forced 
her  sometimes  to  go  to  church,  to  follow  in  procession, 
and  to  conform  to  the  Romish  ceremonies. 

Being  greatly  afflicted  at  the  thoughts  of  doing  that 
which  was  so  much  against  her  inclination,  she  prayed  t© 
God  for  his  assistance,  took  courage,  and  left  her  hus- 
band and  family. 

'  For  some  time,  she  travelled  from  one  place  to  another, 
maintaining  herself  by  labour  and  spinning.  But,  at 
length,  she  returned  to  her  husband ;  a  itw  days  after 
which,  she  was  accused  of  heresy  by  some  of  her  neigh- 
bours ;  and  being  apprehended*  was  sent  to  Exeter,  to 
be  examined  by  Dr.  Troublevile,  then  bishop  of  the  see. 

After  this,  she  was  dismissed  for  the  present,  and  sent 
back  to  prison;  but,  in  a  few  days,  she  was  again  brought 
before  the  bishop,  who  finding  her  still  obstinate,  and 
that  all  his  endeavours  to  alter  her  opinion  were  inef- 
fectual, he  read  the  dreadful  sentence  of  condemnation ; 
at  the  close  of  which,  she  said,  ''  I  thank  thee,  my  Lord, 
my  God  ;  this  day  have  I  found  that  which  I  have  long 
sought." 

Between  the  time  of  her  condemnation  and  execution, 
she  was  visited  by  several  priests,  who  used  the  most 
forcible  arguments  to  prevail  on  her  to  recauti  promising 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  50,7 

that,  en  those  conditions,  her  life  should  be  saved.  She 
repUed,  **  No ;  that  I  will  not.  God  forbid  that  I  should 
lose  the  life  eternal,  for  this  carnal  and  short  life.  1 
will  never  turn  from  my  heavenly  husband,  to  my  earth- 
ly husband  ;  from  the  fellowship  of  angels,  to  mortal 
children  :  and.  if  my  husband  and  children  be  faithful, 
then  am  I  theirs.  God  is  my  ftither,  God  is  my  mother, 
God  is  my  sister,  my  brother,  my  kinsman-  God  is  my 
friend  most  faithful." 

On  the  day  appointed  for  her  death,  she  was  delivered 
to  the  sheriff,  who,  with  his  officers,  conducted  her  to  the 
place  of  execution,  without  the  walls  of  Exeter,  called 
Southenkey. 

Being  fastened  to  the  stake,  and  the  fagots  lighted, 
she  repeatedly  cried  out,  "God,  be  merciful  to  me  a  sin- 
ner." And,  in  a  short  time,  quietly  resigned  her  soul, 
into  the  hands  of  him  who  gave  it. 


Tlie  Martyrdoms  of  John  Cornforcl,  of  Wortham^  Christo- 
pher J3rown,  of  Maidstone,  John  Hersty  of  Ashford, 
Alice  Snoth,  and  Catharine  Knight^  alias  Tinley^  an 
aged  woman* 

These  five  were  the  last  that  suffered  martyrdom  in 
the  reign  of  queen  Mary,  who  died  on  the  17th  of  No- 
vember,  1558,  in  the  43d  year  of  her  age,  and  the  6th  of 
her  reign. 

The  matter  why  they  were  judged  to  the  fire,  was  for 
believing  the  body  not  to  be  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar, 
unless  it  be  received  ;  saying,  moreover,  that  we  receive 
another  thing  also,  besides  Christ's  body,  which  we  see, 
and  is  a  temporal  thing,  according  to  St.  Paul,  *'  The^ 
things  that  be  seen,  be  temporal,"  &c. 

Item,  For  confessing,  that  a;i  evil  man  doth  not  re- 
ceive Christ's  body,  '*  Because  no  man  hath  the  Son, 
except  it  be  given  him  of  the  Father." 

Item,  That  it  is  an  idolatry,  to  creep  to  the  cross,  and 
St.  John  forbidding  it,  saith,  *'  Beware  of  imager.* 


508  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Item,  For  confessing,  that  we  should  not  pray  to  our 
lady,  and  other  saints,  because  they  be  not  omnipotent. 

For  these,  and  other  such  Hke  articles  of  christian 
doctrine,  were  these  committed  to  the  fire.  Against 
whom,  when  the  sentence  should  be  read,  and  they  ex- 
communicated, after  the  manner  of  the  papists,  John 
Cornford,  stirred  with  a  vehement  spirit,  of  the  zeal  of 
God,  proceeding  in  a  more  true  excommunication 
against  tlie  papists,  in  the  name  of  them  all,  pronounced 
sentence  against  them,  in  these  words,  as  follows : 

**  In  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of 
the  most  mighty  God,  and  by  the  power  of  his  holy 
Spirit,  and  the  authority  of  his  holy  catholic  and  apostolic 
church,  we  do  here  give  into  the  hands  of  satan,  to  be 
destroyed,  the  bodies  of  all  those  blasphemers  and  here- 
tics,  that  do  maintain  an  error  against  his  most  holy 
word,  or  do  condemn  his  jnost  holy  truth  for  heresy,  to 
the  maintenance  of  any  false  church  or  feigned  religion, 
so  that  by  this,  thy  just  judgment,  O  most  mighty  God, 
against  thy  adversaries,  thy  true  religion  may  be  known 
to  thy  great  glory  and  our  comfort,  and  to  the  edifying 
of  all  our  nation.     Go^  Lord,  so  be  it,  Amen." 

These  godly  martyrs,  in  their  prayer  which  they 
tftade  before  their  martyrdom,  desired  God,  that  their 
blood  might  be  the  last  that  should  be  shed,  and  so  it 
was. 

Besides  the  martyrs  above  named,  there  were  several 
others  imprisoned  in  divers  pails  of  the  realm,  whereof 
some  were  but  newly  taken  and  not  yet  examined,  some 
examined,  but  not  condemned,  and  others  were  both  ex- 
amined and  condemned,  but,  for  lack  of  the  writ,  escaped. 

There  were  others,  also,  condemned,  and  the  writ 
also  was  brought  down  for  their  burning ;  and  yet,  by 
the  deaths  of  the  chancellor,  the  bishop,  and  queen  Mary, 
happeniag  together  about  one  time,  their  lives  were 
preserved. 

To  relate  all  those  cases  of  persecution  and  suffering, 
whh  the  particular  circumstances  attending  them,  would 
extend  beyond  the  limits  of  the  present  work  :  we  shall 
therefore  omit  thenj,  refering  the  reader  to  the  authentic 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  50^ 

reeords,  where  they  may  be  found,  particularly  to  Fox's 
Book  of  Martyrs. 

It  may,  however,  be  acceptable  to  our  readers  to  hear 
the  names  of  the  principal  sufferers,  who,  although  their 
lives  were  not  sacrificed  to  the  severities  and  malice  of 
their  persecutors,  yet  endured  no  little  scourging  and 
suffering,  and  evinced,  by  their  patience  and  steadfast 
pcrseverence,  that  their  non-compliance  was  purely  in 
obedience  to  the  will  and  requisition  of  their  Lord  and 
master. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  some  of  them  : 

John  Hunt,  Richard  White,  Richard  Wilmot,  Tho- 
mas Fairfax,  Thomas  Green,  James  Harris,  Robert  Will- 
iams, William  Living  and  his  wife,  John  Lithal,  Eliza- 
beth Young,  Ehzabeth  Lawson,  Thomas  Christenmass, 
William    Watts,    Alexander   Winhurst,    John    Davis, 

Roberts,  Anne  Lucy,  Edward  Bennet,  JefFry  Hurst, 

William  Wood,  Thomas  Horton,  Thomas  Sprat,  John 
Cornet,  Thomas  Bryce,  Gertrude  Crokhay,  Thomas- 
Rose,  Richard  Burtic  and  Catharine  his  wife,  Dr.  i^gido, 
Dr»  Constantine,  and  William  Lithgow. 


510  FERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 


A    SHORT    ACCOUNT    OF    THE      PERSECUTIONS    IN^ 
IRELAND,    DISTINGUISHED    IN    THE    ENG- 
LISH   ANNALS    BY   THE   NAME   OF  THE 
IRISH    MASSACRE. 

Though  the  various  attempts  made  by  the  Irish  against 
the  English,  usually  go  under  the  denomination  of  rebeil* 
ion,  yet  they  more  properly  deserve  the  epithet  persecu- 
tion, as  all  their  destructive  efforts  were  particulaily  level- 
led at  the  protestants  only,  whom  they  were  determined,  if 
possible,  totally  to  extirpate  from  the  kingdom*  They 
had,  indeed,  heretofore  miscarried ;  but  they,  at  length, 
hit  upon  a  project  that  succeeded  to  their  wishes^  and  pro- 
duced a  catastrophe  that  will  remain  memorable  to  the 
latest  posterity. 

A  short  time  before  the  horrid  conspiracy  broke  out, 
which  we  are  now  going  to  relate,  the  papists  of  Ireland, 
had  presented  a  remonstrance  to  the  lords -justices  of  that 
kingdom,  demanding  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion, 
and  a  re}>eal  of  all  laws  to  the  contrary  ;  to  which,  both 
houses  of  parliament  in  England  solemnly  answered,  that 
they  would  never  grant  any  toleration  to  the  popish  relig- 
ion in  that  kiiigdom. 

This  farther  irritated  the  papists  to  put  in  execution  the 
diabolical  plot  concerted  for  the  destruction  of  the  pro- 
testants ;  and  it  failed  not  of  the  success  wished  for  by  its 
malicious  and  rancorous  p'ojectors. 

The  design  of  this  horrid  conspiracy  was,  that  a  gene- 
ral insurrection  should  take  place  at  the  same  time 
throughout  the  kingdom  ;  and  that  all  the  protestants, 
without  exception,  should  be  murdered.  The  day  fixed 
for  this  horrid  massacre,  was,  the  23d  of  October,  1641  ; 
and  the  chief  conspirators,  in  the  principal  parts  of  the 
kingdom,  made  the  necessary  preparations  for  the  intend- 
ed conflict. 

The  conapirators  w^re  in  arms  all  over  the  kingdom 
early  in  the  morning  of  the  day  appointed,  and  every  pro- 
testant  who  fell  in  their  way,  was  immediately  murderq,d» 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS,  511 

No  age,  no  sex,  no  condition  was  spared.  The  wife  weep- 
ing for  her  butchered  husband,  and  embracing  her  helpless 
children,  was  pierced  with  them,  and  j^erished  by  the  same 
Stroke.  The  old,  the  young,  the  vigorous,  the  infirm, 
underwent  the  same  fate,  and  were  blended  together  in  one 
common  ruin.  In  vain,  did  flight  save  from  the  first  as- 
sault :  destruction  was  every  where  let  loose,  and  met  the 
hunted  victims  at  every  turn.  In  vain,  was  recourse  had 
to  relations,  to  companions,  to  friends  :  all  connexions 
were  dissolved,  and  death  was  dealt  by  that  kind,  from 
which  protection  was  implored  and  expected.  Without 
provocation,  without  opposition,  the  astonished  English, 
Jiving  in  profound  peace,  and,  as  they  thought,  full  securi- 
ty, were  piassacred  by  their  nearest  neighbours,  with 
whom  they  had  long  maintained  a  continual  intercourse  of 
kindness  and  good  offices.  Nay,  even  death  was  the 
slightest  punishment  inflicted  by  these  monsters  in  human 
form  :  all  the  tortures  which  wanton  cruelty  could  invent, 
all  the  lingering  pains  of  body,  the  anguish  of  mind,  the 
agonies  of  despair,  could  not  satiate  revenge  excited  with- 
out injury,  and  cruelty  derived  from  no  cause  whatever. 
Depraved  nature,  even  perverted  religion,  though  encour- 
aged by  the  utmost  licence,  cannot  reach  to  a  greater  pitch 
of  ferocity  than  appeared  in  those  merciless  barbarians-. 
Even  the  weaker  sex  themselves,  naturally  tender  to  their 
own  suflferings,  and  compassionate  to  those  of  others,  here 
emulated  their  robust  companions  in  the  practice  of  every 
cruelty.  The  very  children,  taught  by  example,  and  en- 
couraged by  the  exhortations  of  their  parents,  dealt  their 
feeble  blows  on  the  dead  carcasses  of  the  defenceless  chiU 
drcn  of  the  English. 

Nor  WHS  the  avarice  of  the  Irish  sufiicient  to  produce 
the  least  restraint  on  their  cruelty.  Such  was  their  fren^ 
zy,  that  the  cattle  they  had  seized,  and  by  rapine  made 
tlieir  own,  were,  because  they  bore  the  name  of  English, 
wantonly  slaughtered,  or,  when  covered  \vith  wound^ 
turned  loose  into  the  woods,  there  to  perish  by  slow  and 
fingering  torments. 

The  commodious  habitations  of  the  planters  were  laid 
iTi  ashe6,  Gr  levelled  with  the  ground.     And  where  the 


512  PJERSECUTED    BV    THE    PAPISTS. 

wretched  owners  had  shut  themselves  up  in  the  housesi 
and  were  preparing  for  defence,  they  perished  in  the 
flames,  together  with  their  wives  and  children. 

Many  were  put  to  deaths  of  the  most  horrid  nature,  and 
such  as  could  have  been  invented  only  by  demons  instead 
of  men. 

Some  of  them  were  laid  with  the  centre  of  their  backs 
on  the  axle-tree  of  a  carriage,  with  their  legs  resting  on  the 
ground,  on  one  side,  and  their  arms  and  head  on  the  other. 
in  this  position,  one  of  the  savages  scourged  the  wretched 
object  on  the  thighs,  legs,  &c.  while  others  set  on  furious 
dogs,  who  tore  to  pieces  the  arms  and  upper  parts  of  the 
body  ;  and,  in  this  dreadful  manner,  were  they  deprived  of 
their  existence. 

Great  numbers  were  fastened  to  horses  tails  ;  and,  the 
beasts  being  set  on  full  gallop  by  their  riders,  the  wretched 
victims  were  dragged  along  till  they  expired. 

Others  were  hung  on  lofty  gibbets,  and  a  fire  being 
kindled  under  them,  they  finished  their  lives,  partly  by 
hanging,  and  partly  by  suffocation. 

Nor  did  the  more  tender  sex  escape  the  least  particle  of 
cruelty,  that  could  be  projected  by  their  merciless  and 
furious  persecutors.  Many  women,  of  all  ages,  were  put 
to  deaths  of  the  most  cruel  nature.  Some  in  particular 
were  fastened  with  their  backs  to  strong  .posts,  and  being 
stripped  to  tli^ir  waists,  the  inhuman  monsters  cut  off  their 
breasts  with  shears,  which,  of  course,  put  them  to  the 
most  excruciating  torments ;  and,  in  this  position,  they 
were  left,  till,  from  the  loss  of  blood,  they  expired. 

Such  was  the  savage  ferocity  of  these  barbarians,  that 
even  unborn  infants  were  dragged  from  the  womb  to  be- 
come victims  to  their  rage.  Many  unhappy  mothers, 
who  were  near  the  time  of  their  delivery,  were  hung  na- 
ked on  the  branches  of  trees,  and  their  bodies  being  cut 
open,  the  innocent  offspring  were  taken  from  them,  and 
jljarown  to  dogs  and  swine.  And,  to  increase  the  horrid 
scene,  they  would  oblige  the  husband  to  be  a  spectator 
before  he  suffered  himself. 


iffAS.ECUT^P    BY    THE    PAPIST^.  513 


A  SHORT  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  MASSACRE  IN  FRANCE. 

In  the  year,  1572,  a  massacre  took  place  in  Paris,  sooii 
after  Henry,  king  of  Navarre,  was  married  to  Margaret, 
sister  to  the  king  of  France. 

This  was  called,  not  a  marriage  of  individuals,  but  a 
marriage  between  the  churches  of  the  Roman  Catholics 
and  the  Protestants. 

A  few  hours  previous  to  the  massacre,  the  young  duke 
of  Guise,  who  was  to  be  principally  intrusted  in  the  affair, 
called  together  the  French  and  Swiss  officers,  and  told 
them,  "that  the  time  was  come  in  which  the  king  was  to 
be  revenged  of  the  protestants  ;  the  beast  is  caught  (said 
he)  let  him  not  therefore  escape  ;  your  triumph  will  be 
glorious,  your  victory  easy,  and  the  spoils  great."  The 
duke  of  Guise  then  sent  to  the  provost  of  the  city,  and 
commanded  him  to  assemble  the  aldermen  of  the  respec- 
tive wards,  that  they  might  be  ready  to  receive  the  king's 
commands :  when  they  met  together,  the  same  orders  were 
given  to  them  as  to  the  officers  ;  and  they  were  told,  that 
the  signal  for  beginning  the  bloody  business,  was  to  be  the 
ringing  of  a  bell  in  the  Louvre  ;  and  the  tokens,  by  which 
to  know  each  other,  were  to  be  white  crosses  on  their  hats. 

The  dreadful  hour  arrived,  and  the  fatal  bell  was  rung, 
about  twelve  o'cll^:k  at  night,  on  the  eve  of  the  24th  of  the 
month  called  August,  A.  D.  1572;  the  signal  being  thus 
given,  the  duke  of  Guise  hastened  to  Coligni's  house,  at 
the  head  of  a  body  of  troops,  and  joined  Cossen,  who,  with 
his  guard,  it  was  pretended,  went  to  defend  the  admiral. 
They  knocked  violently  at  Coligni's  door,  when  Labon- 
nous,  one  of  his  servants,  immediately  opened  it,  and  was 
instantly  stabbed  by  Cossen.  A  i/iimbei  of  troops,  with 
Cossen  at  the  head  of  th.m,  then  entered  the  house;  but  the 
duke  of  Guise  ren\aiiied  in  the  court-yard.  Tfhe  assassins 
ranged  through  the  several  apartments,  murdered  all  they 
met,  and  at  length  came  to  Coligni's  chamber.  That<lk 
brave  devoted  martyr,  when  he  saw  them,  said,  *'  I  have 
long  prepared  myself  for  death,  and  now,  that  I  shall  find 
It,  conmiend  my  soul  to  the  Almighty  God."     A  German 


514  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

soldier,  named  Besme,  first  wounded  him ;  after  whicb> 
Cossen,  and  several  others,  completed  the  murder.  The 
duke  of  Guise,  called  out  from  below,  "  Is  the  business 
done  ?"  The  murderers  replied,  it  was ;  and,  to  convince 
him,  threw  the  body  out  of  the  window.  The  corpse  was 
then  treated  with  great  indignity  ;  and  a  person  belonging 
to  the  duke  of  Nevers,  cut  off  the  head,  and  carried  it  to 
the  king.  The  cruel  monarch  appeared  pleased  with  the 
sight,  and  the  bloody  minded  queen- mother  ordered  it  to 
be  embalmed,  and  sent  as  a  present  to  the  pope.  The 
headless  corpse  was  dragged  about  the  streets,  with  great 
indignity,  for  several  days,  indecently  mangled,  and  then 
hung  upon  a  gibbet,  with  the  shoulders  downwards.  This 
was  the  end  of  one  of  the  greatest  men  France  e^'er  pro- 
duced; who,  by  a  glorious  martyrdom,  concluded  a  life 
spent  in  the  service  of  the  Almighty. 

The  attendants  and  domestics  of  the  king  of  Navarre, 
and  the  young  prince  of  Conde,  were  basely  butchered, 
and  the  streets  of  Paris  streamed  with  protestant  blood. 
In  some  measure,  to  palliate  their  cruelties,  the  Roman 
catholics,  while  they  were  murdering  the  innocent  people, 
cried  out,  "  Vile  wretches,  this  is  for  wanting  to  overturn 
the  constitution  of  your  country  ;  this  is  for  conspiring  to 
murder  the  king."  Rank,  sex,  or  age,  was  no  protection  ; 
nobles  sunk  beneath  the  daggers  of  ruffians  ;  the  tears  of 
beauty  made  no  impression  on  the  hearts  of  bigotry ;  the 
silver  hairs  of  venerable  age,  and  the  piteous  cries  of  help- 
less infancy,  were  alike  disregarded.  Superstition  steeled 
the  hearts  of  the  papists  against  the  ties  of  humanity  ;  and 
infatuation  directed  the  sword  of  false  zeal,  to  pierce  the 
bosoms  of  piety  and  innocence.  The  lamentations  of  dis- 
tress, the  shrieks  of  terror,  and  the  groans  of  the^^dying, 
were  music  to  the  ears  of  the  furious  murderers  :  they  en- 
joyed the  horrors  of  slaughter,  and  triumphed  over  the 
mangled  carcasses  of  those  whom  they  had  butchered. 
I  Upon  this  dreadful  occasion,  swords,  pistols,  mus- 
Tcets,  cutlasses,  daggers,  and  other  instruments  of  death, 
had  been  put  into  the  hands  of  above  sixty  thousand  furious 
and  bigotted  papists,  who  now,  in  a  frantic  manner,  ran  up 
and  down  the  streets  of  Paris,   uttering  the  most  horrid 


PERSECUTE©    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  515 

bb^phemies,  and  committing  the  most  inhuman  barbar- 
ities. It  is  almost  beyond  the  power  of  imagination  to 
paint,  or  of  language  to  describe,  the  cruelties  that  were 
acted  on  that  flital  night,  and  the  two  succeeding  davs. 
The  infirm  were  murdered  in  the  bed  of  sickness  ;  the 
aged  stabbed  while  tottering  on  their  crutches ;  children 
snatched  from  their  mothers,  and  tossed  on  the  points  of 
of  spears  ;  infants  strangled  in  their  cradles ;  pregnant 
women  ripped  open  ;  and  men  indiscriminately  murdered 
by  various  means.  The  confusion  and  horrors  of  the 
scene  were  dreadful  indeed;  oaths,  shoutings,  shrieks, 
and  the  discharge  of  lire-arms,  were  heard  in  all  quarters ', 
houses  w^ere  defiled  with  the  blood  of  their  owners ;  the 
streets  strewed  with  carcasses  ;  and  the  w^aters  of  the  Seine 
appeared  of  a  crimson  colour,  from  the  number  of  mangled 
bodies  which  had  been  thrown  into  that  river. 

Three  hundred  and  fifty  protestants  w^ere  confined  in  a 
place  called  the  Archbishop's  Prison.  To  this  place,  a 
number  of  soldiers  repaired,  picked  their  pockets  of  w^hat 
money  they  had,  took  from  them  such  garments  as  they 
thought  proper  to  appropriate  to  their  ow  n  uses,  and  then 
drawing  their  swords,  cut  them  to  pieces  without  the  least 
remorse. 

After  the  massacre  had  subsided,  the  inhuman  assassins 
paraded  the  streets,  boasting,  that  they  had  died  their 
white  cockades  red,  with  the  blood  of  hugonots.  The 
mhabitants  of  the  villages  w^hich  lay  below  Paris,  on  the 
borders  of  the  Seine,  were  astonished  to  see  the  number 
of  dead  bodies  that  floated  down  the  stream  ;  and  even 
some  of  the  Roman  catholics  w^ere  so  much  touched  with 
compassion,  as  to  exclaim,  **  it  surely  could  not  be  men, 
butc^vils,  in  their  appearance,  who  have  transacted' these 
cruehies."  The  pope's  legate,  soon  after,  gave  all  who 
were  concerned  in  these  murders,  a  general  absolution 
which  plainly  evinces,  that  the  Roman  catholics  them 
selves  thoueht  these  transactions  criminal. 


Bl6  VERSieUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Occurrences  supplementary  to  the  Massacre  m  Paris* 

It  was  represented  to  the  king  by  his  council,  that  the 
massacre  would  be  ineftectual,  if  it  did  not  extend  to  every 
part  of  the  kingdom  ;  for  though  all  the  protestants  of  Pa- 
ris were  murdered,  yet  if  any  were  suffered  to  live  in  oth- 
er parts  of  France,  they  would  again  increase  in  numbers, 
and  spread  to  the  metropolis.  This  occasioned  the  mas- 
sacre to  become  more  general,  for  tlie  king  sent  orders  to 
all  parts  of  the  nation  to  put  the  protestants  to  death. 

At  Meaux,  the  king's  attorney.  Cosset,  having  received 
the  bloody  mandate,  ordered  a  number  of  ruffians  to  attend 
him  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening.  At  the  appointed 
time,  he  commanded  the  city  gates  to  be  shut,  and  all  the 
protestants  seized.  This  was  immediately  executed  ;  ma- 
ny were  murdered  that  night,  and  about  two  hundred  of 
the  principal  persons  were  confined  till  the  next  day.  On 
the  ensuing  morning.  Cosset,  and  his  murderers,  went  to 
the  prison,  and  haying  a  list  of  protestants'  names,  called 
them  one  by  one,  and  murdered  them  as  they  answered^  to 
the  call,  They  then  plundered  the  houses  of  those  they 
had  murdered,  divided  the  spoils,  gave  an  entertainment 
upon  the  occasion,  and  concluded  the  evening  with  illumi- 
nations. 

At  Troyes,  the  protestants  were  all  seij^ed,  and  put  into 
dungeons.  The  provost  then  commanded  the  common 
fixecutioner  to  go  and  murder  them  all.  Shocked,  how- 
ever, vX  the  inhumanity  of  the  thing,  the  executioner  had 
spirit  enough  to  refuse,  with  this  remarkaVjle  expression  : 
*  •  my  office  obliges  me  to  execute  none  but  such  as  are  le- 
gally condemned,"  But  this  did  not  save  the  protestants  for 
the  provost  engaged  the  gaoler  to  perform  what  the  execu- 
tioner had  refused.  They  were  all  accordingly  murdered, 
find  their  bodies  buried  in  pits,  dug  on  purpose,  within  the 
prison. 

At  Orleans,  the  massacre  contipiucd  for  a  week,  and  a 
prodigious  number  of  men,  women,  and  children,  were 
piurdered  ;  the  general  cry  being,  ''kill  the  hngonots,  and 
lake  tlie  spoil."  Some,  who  were  weak  enough  to  aposta- 
ti?.e  froni  their  faith  to  save  their  lives,  l]ad  weapons  put 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  517 

into  their  hands,  and  were  compelled  to  kill  those  of  the  re- 
ligion they  had  forsaken,  or  to  be  murdered  themselves  ; 
the  Roman  catholics  crying,  in  derision,  all  th.  time, 
"  smite'em,  smite'em  ;  were  they  not  your  holy  urothers 
and  sisters  ?" 

At  Lyons,  all  the  protestants'  houses  were  plundered,  and 
the  slaughter  w^as  almost  incredible.  At  Rouen,  six  thou- 
sand were  massacred.  At  Thoulouse,  about  thre^  hundred 
were  martyred  upon  the  occasion.  Many  were  drowned 
at  Anglers ;  and  several  were  butchered  at  Bordeaux  ; 
though  happily,  at  the  latter  place,  several  got  expeditious* 
ly  on  board  a  ship,  and  escaped  to  England. 

These  barbarities  inflamed  such  protestants  as  escaped, 
ra;:her  with  rage  than  terror ;  their  irreconcilable  hatred 
to  the  court,  supplied  diem  with  fresh  vigour,  and  the  spirit 
of  revenge  increased  their  strength.  The  king,  under 
whose  influence  this  dreadful  havoc  had  been  committed, 
never  enjoyed  his  health  after,  but  died  in  about  two  years, 
hi^  blood  gushing  daily  through  the  pores  of  his  skin  ;  3o 
that  he  expired,  as  it  were,  weltering  in  his  own  gore. 

Fear  haunts  the  guilty  mind  with  horrid  views, 
And  Providence  the  murderer  pursues ; 
Those,  by  whose  means  the  innocent  are  slain, 
Shall  live  detested,  and  expire  in  pain^ 


518  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

A    SHORT    ACCOUNT  OF    THE    RISE,    PROGRESS,    hci' 
OF    THE    INC^UISITION. 

When  the  reformed  religion  began  to  diffuse  the  gos- 
pel light  throughout  Europe,  pope  Innocent  the  Third, 
entertained  great  fear  for  the  Romish  church.  Unwilling 
that  the  spirit  of  free  inquiry  should  gain  ground,  or  that 
the  people  should  attain  more  knowledge  than  the  priests 
M^ere  willing  to  admit,  he  determined  to  impede,  as  much 
tis  possible,  the  progress  of  reformation.  He  accordingly 
institued  a  number  of  inquisitors,  or  persons  who  were  to 
make  inquiry  after,  apprehend,  and  punish  heretics,  as  the 
Teiormed  were  called  by  the  papists. 

Courts  of  inquisition  were  now  erected  in  several  coun- 
tries ;  but  the  Spanish  inquisition  became  the  most  pow- 
erful, and  the  most  dreadful  of  any.  Even  the  kings  of 
Spain  themselves,  though  arbitrary  in  all  other  respects, 
were  taught  to  dread  the  power  of  the  lords  of  the  inquisi- 
tion ;  and  the  horrid  cruelties  they  exercised  compelled 
multitudes,  who  differed  in  opinion  from  the  Roman  catho- 
lics, carefully  to  conceal  their  sentiments. 

The  pope  now  thought  proper  to  give  the  inquisitors  the 
most  unlimited  powers,  as  judges  delegated  by  him,  and 
immediately  representing  his  person  :  they  were  permitted 
to  excommunicate,  or  sentence  to  death,  whom  they  thought 
proper  upon  the  most  slight  information  of  heresy.  They 
were  allowed  to  publish  crusades  against  all  whom  they 
deemed  heretics,  and  to  enter  into  leagues  with  sovereign 
princes,  to  join  those  crusades  with  their  forces. 

In  1244,  their  pov/ers  were  farther  increased  by  the  em- 
peror Frederick  the  Second,  who  declared  himself  the 
protector  and  friend  of  all  the  inquisitors,  and  published 
two  very  cruel  edicts,  viz. 

1.  That  all  heretics,  who  continued  obstinate,  should 
be  burnt. 

2.  That  all  heretics  who  repented,  should  be  impris- 
oned for  life. 

The  officers  of  the  inquisition  are,  three  inquisitors  or 
judges,  a  fiscal  proctor,  two  secretaries,  a  magistrate,  a 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE     PAPISTS.  ^-BM 

messenger,  a  receiver,  a  gaoler,  an  agent  of  confiscated 
possessions,  several  assessors,  counsellors,  executioners, 
physicians,  surgeons,  door-keepers,  familiars,  and  visiters, 
who  are  are  all  sworn  to  secrecy. 

The  principal  accusation  against  those  who  are  subject 
to  this  tribunal,  is  heresy,  which  comprises  all  that  is  spo- 
ken, or  written  against  any  of  the  articles  of  the  creed,  or 
the  traditions  of  the  Romish  church.  The  other  articles 
of  accusation  arc,  renouncing  the  Roman  catholic  persua- 
sion, beUeving  that  persons  of  any  other  religion  may  be 
saved,  or  even  admitting  that  the  tenets  of  any  but  papists 
are,  in  the  least,  reasonable  or  proper.  We  shall  mention 
two  other  things  which  incur  the  most  severe  punishments, 
and  shew  the  inquisitors,  at  once,  in  an  absurd  and  tyran- 
nical light,  viz.  Disapproving  any  action  done  by  the 
inquisition,  or  disbelieving  any  thing  said  by  an  inquisitor. 

The  grand  article,  heresy,  comprises  many  subdivis- 
ions :  and,  upon  a  suspicion  of  any  of  these,  the  party  is 
immediately  apprehended.  Advancing  an  offensive  propo- 
sition ;  failing  to  impeach  others  who  may  advance  such  ; 
contemning  church  ceremonies ;  defacing  idols  ;  reading 
books  condemned  by  the  inquisition  ;  lending  such  books 
to  others  to  read  ;  deviating  from  the  ordinary  practices  of 
the  Romish  church  ;  letting  a  year  pass  without  going  to 
confession  ;  eating  meat  on  fast- days  ;  neglecting  mass  ; 
being  present  at  a  sermon  preached  by  a  heretic  ;  not  ap- 
pearing  when  summoned  by  the  inquisition  ;  lodging  in 
the  house  of,  contracting  friendship  with,  or  making  a 
present  to,  a  heretic  ;  assisting  a  heretic  to  escape  from 
confinement,  or  visiting  one  in  confinement ;  are  all  matters 
of  suspicion,  and  prosecuted  accordingly.  Nay,  all  Ro- 
man catholics  were  comnicuided,  under  pain  of  excommu- 
nication, to  give  immediate  information,  even  of  their 
nearest  and  dearest  friends,  if  they  judge  them  to  be  what 
were  called  heretics,  or  any  ways  inclined  to  heresy. 

The  inquisition  likewise  takes  cognizance  of  such  as  arc 
accused  of  being  magicians,  soothsayers,  witches,  wizards, 
blasphemers,  common  swearers:  and  of  such  as  read, 
or  even  possess  the  Bible  in  the  common  language,  the 
Tahnud  of  the  jews,  or  tlie  Alcoran  of  the  mahometans. 


520  PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS. 

Upon  all  occasions,  the  inquisitors  carry  on  their  pro- 
cesses with  the  utmost  severity,  and  punish  those  who 
offend  them,  with  the  most  unparallelled  cruelty,  A  pro- 
testant  has  seldom  any  mercy  shewn  him ;  and  a  jew 
who  turns  christian,  is  far  from  being  secure  ;  for,  if  he  is 
knowTi  to  keep  company  with  another  new-converted  jew, 
a  suspicion  immediately  arises,  that  they  privately  practise 
together,  some  Jewish  ceremonies;  if  he  keeps  company 
with  a  person  who  was  lately  a  protestant,  but  now  pro- 
fesses popery,  they  are  accused  of  plotting  together  ;  but 
if  he  associates  with  a  Roman  catholic,  an  accusation  is 
often  laid  against  him  for  only  pretending  to  be  a  papist, 
and  the  consequence  is,  a  confiscation  of  his  effects  as  a 
punishment  for  his  insincerity,  and  the  loss  of  his  life  if  he 
complains  of  ill  usage. 

Death  is  usually  the  portion  of  a  prisoner,  the  mildest 
sentence  being  imprisonment  for  life  ;  yet  the  inquisitors 
proceed  by  degrees,  at  once  subtle,  slow,  and  cruel.  The 
gaoler,  first  of  all,  insinuates  himself  into  the  prisoner's 
favour,  by  pretending  to  wish  him  well,  and  advise  him 
well,  and,  among  other  hints  falsely  kind,  tells  him  to  pe- 
tition for  a  hearing. 

When  the  person  impeached  is  condemned,  he  is  either 
severely  whipped,  violently  tortured,  sent  to  the  galleys,  or 
sentenced  to  death :  and,  in  either  case,  his  effects  are  con- 
fiscated. After  judgment,  a  procession  is  performed  to  the 
place  of  execution,  which  ceremony  is  called  an  auto  de 
fe,  or  act  of  faith. 

The  following  is  an  account  of  an  auto  de  fe,  performed 
at  Madrid,  in  the  year  1682. 

The  officers  of  the  inquisition,  preceded  by  trumpets, 
ketde-drums,  and  their  banner,  marched  on  the  30th  of  the 
month  called  May,  in  cavalcade,  to  the  place  of  the  great 
square,  where  they  declared  by  proclamation,  that  on  the 
30th  of  the  month  called  June,  the  sentence  of  the  prison- 
ers would  be  put  in  execution. 

There  had  not  been  a  spectacle  of  this  kind  at  Madrid 
for  several  years  before,  for  which  reason  it  was  expected, 
by  the  inhabitants,  with  as  much  impatience  as  a  day  of  the 
greatest  festivity. 


PERSECUTED    BY    THE    PAPISTS.  5:21 

On  the  day  appointed,  a  prodigious  number  of  people 
appeared,  dressed  as  splendidly  as  their  respective  cir- 
cumstances would  admit.  In  the  great  square,  was  raised 
a  high  scaftbld  ;  and  thither,  from  seven  in  the  morning 
till  the  evening,  were  brought  criminals  of  both  sexes  : 
all  the  inquisitions  in  the  kingdom  sending  their  prison- 
ers to  Madrid. 

Of  these  prisoners,  twenty  men  and  women,  with  one 
renegado  mahometan,  were  ordered  to  be  burned  ;  fifty 
jews  and  Jewesses,  having  never  before  been  imprisoned, 
and  repenting  of  their  crimes,  were  sentenced  to  a  long 
confinement,  and  to  wear  yellow  caps  ;  and  ten  others  in- 
dicted for  bigamy,  witchcraft,  and  other  crimes,  were 
sentenced  to  be  whipped,  and  then  sent  to  the  galleys  : 
these  last  wore  large  paste- board  caps,  with  inscriptions 
on  them,  having  a  halter  about  their  necks,  and  torches 
in  their  hands. 

The  whole  court  of  Spain  was  present  on  this  occa- 
sion. The  grand  inquisitor's  chair  was  placed  in  a  sort 
of  tribunal,  far  above  that  of  the  king.  The  nobles  here, 
acted  the  part  of  the  sheriff's  officers  in  England,  leading 
such  criminals  as  were  to  be  burned,  and  holding  them 
when  fast  bound  with  thick  cords.  The  rest  of  the  crimi- 
nals were  conducted  by  the  familiars  of  the  inquisition. 

Among  those  who  were  to  suffer,  was  a  young  Jewess, 
©f  exquisite  beauty,  and  but  seventeen  years  of  age. 
Being  on  the  same  side  of  the  scaffold  where  the  queen 
was  seated,  she  addressed  her,  in  hopes  of  obtaining  a 
pardon,  in  the  following  pathetic  speech  :  '*  Great  queen  1 
will  not  your  royal  presence  be  of  some  service  to  me,  in 
my  miserable  condition  ?  Have  regard  to  my  youth;  and 
oh !  consider,  that  I  am  about  to  die  for  professing  a 
religion  imbibed  from  my  earliest  infancy  !"  Her  maj- 
esty seemed  grcady  to  pity  her  distress,  but  turned  away 
her  eyes,  as  she  did  not  dare  to  speak  a  word  in  behalf  of 
a  person  who  had  been  declared  a  heretic. 

Now,  mass  began,  in  the  midst  of  which,  the  priest 
came  from  the  altar,  placed  near  the  scaffold,  and  seated 
himself  in  a  chair  prepared  for  that  purpose. 

3x 


•522  PERSECUTED    BV    THE    PAPISTS. 

The  chief  inquisitor  then  descended  from  the  amphi-* 
theatre,  dressed  in  his  cope,  and  having  a  mitre  on  his 
head.  After  bowing  to  the  altar,  he  advanced  towards 
the  king's  balcony,  and  went  up  to  it,  attended  by  some 
of  his  officers,  carrying  a  cross  and  the  gospels,  with  a 
book  containing  the  oath  by  which  the  kings  of  Spain 
oblige  themselves  to  protect  the  catholic  faith,  to  extir- 
pate heretics,  and  to  support,  with  all  their  power,  the 
prosecutions  and  decrees  of  the  inquisition. 

On  the  inquisitor's  approach,  and  presenting  this  book 
to  he  king,  his  majesty  rose  up,  bareheaded,  and  swore 
to  mantain  the  oath,  which  was  read  to  him  by  one  of  his 
counsellors :  after  which,  the  king  continued  standing  till 
the  inquisitor  was  returned  to  his  place  ;  when  the  sec- 
retary of  the  holy  office  mounted  a  sort  of  pulpit,  and 
administered  the  like  oath  to  the  counsellors  and  the 
the  whole  assembly.  The  mass  was  begun  about  twelve 
at  noon,  and  did  not  end  till  nine  in  the  evening,  being 
protracted  by  a  proclamation  of  the  sentences  of  the  sev- 
eral criminals,  which  were  all  separately  rehearsed  aloud 
one  after  the  other. 

After  this,  followed  the  burning  of  the  twenty-one  men 
and  women,  whose  intrepidity  in  suifering  that  horrid 
death,  was  truly  astonishing :  some  thrust  their  hands 
and  feet  into  the  flames  with  the  most  dauntless  fortitude  ; 
and  all  of  them  yielded  to  their  fate  with  such  resolution, 
that  many  of  the  amazed  spectators  lamented  that  such 
heroic  souls  had  not  been  more  enlightened. 

The  king's  near  situation  to  the  criminals  rendered 
their  dying  groans  very  audible  to  him.  He  could  not, 
however,  be  absent  from  this  dreadful  scene,  as  it  is  es- 
teemed a  religious  one  ;  and  his  coronation  oath  obliges 
him  to  give  a  sanction  by  his  presence  to  all  the  acts  of 
the  tribunal. 


PERSECUTIONS 

UNDER 

EPISCOPACY. 


Gn  queen  Elizabeth's  accession  to  the  throne,  in 
1558,  the  parliament  restored  the  tenths  to  the  crown  ; 
and  the  protestant  religion  was  again  established.  The 
bishops  refusing  the  oath  of  supremacy,  were  removed, 
and  others  put  in  their  stead.  About  the  beginning  of  this 
queen's  reign,  arose  a  people  professing  the  pure  relig- 
ion, and  allowing  of  nothing  but  what  was  taken  out  of 
the  scriptures.  They,  moreover,  openly  condemned  the 
received  discipline  of  the  church  of  England,  with  the  lit- 
urgy and  calling  of  the  bishops,  as  savouring  too  much 
of  the  Romish  reHgion.  They  declared  it  to  be  an  impious 
thing  to  hold  any  doctrine  common  with  the  churcii  of 
Rome,  and  were  very  zealous  to  have  the  church  of  Eng- 
land reformed  in  every  point,  according  to  the  church  of 
Geneva. 

These  dissenters  were  first  known  by  the  name  of  Pu- 
ritans, and  afterwards  by  that  of  protestant  non- conform- 
ists. 

They  soon  became  very  numerous,  crying  down  the 
ecclesiastical  form  of  government,  as  a  thing  polluted  with 
Romish  dregs,  printing  books  to  the  same  effect,  and  re- 
fusing to  go  to  the  public  worship,  as  was  then  used  ; 
whereupon,  many  endeavours  were  used  to  suppress 
them,  and  the  law  was  commanded  to  be  put  in  execu- 
tion^ which  requn*ed  uniformity,  and  the  books  written 


5^4  PERSECUTED    UNDER    EPISCOPACY. 

by  the  Puritans  to  be  delivered  into  the  bishops'  hand^, 
on  pain  of  imprisonment.  By  these  courses  of  persecution 
and  force,  they  were  kept  down  for  a  time,  the  archbish- 
op of  Canterbury  using  his  utmost  endeavours  to  settle 
an  uniformity,  in  ecclesiastical  discipline,  according  to  the 
laws,  which  he  saw  lay  gasping,  if  the  Puritans  increas- 
ed, and  thereupon  provided  articles  for  all  ministers  to 
subscribe  ;  but  he  found  great  opposition  or  disturbance 
in  this  his  design,  both  at  home  and  abroad  ;  for  one 
Robert  Brown,  a  young  man  of  Cambridge,  from  whom 
a  people  called  Brownists  took  their  name,  and  one  Rich- 
ard Harrison,  a  school- master,  set  forth  books  in  Zealand, 
and  dispersed  them  over  England,  condemning  the  church 
of  England  for  no  church.  These  books  were  by  au- 
thority prohibited,  and  several  of  the  chief  of  these  Brown- 
ists were  executed  at  Bury,  in  Suifolk. 

Before  giving  an  account  of  the  execution  of  those 
persons,  we  shall  insert  their  complaint  to  the  parliament^ 
relating  their  hard  usage  in  prison. 


^'^  The  humble,  most  earnest,  and  lamentable  complaint 
and  supplication  of  the  persecuted  and  prescribed  churchy 
and  servants  of  Christ,  falsely  called  BrownistSy  unto  the 
high  court  of  parliament, 

"  The  most  high  God,  possessor  of  heaven  and  earth, 
bringeth  at  this  present  before  your  lordships  and  wisdoms 
(right  honourable)  his  own  cause,  his  own  people  (his 
own  sworn,  and  most  treacherous  enemies)  together  with 
the  most  shameful  usage  of  his  truth  and  servants,  that 
ever  hath  been  heard  of  in  the  days  of  Sion's  professed 
peace  and  tranquillity. 

*'  His  cause  and  people  he  oftereth  unto  your  considera- 
tion and  defence,  in  our  profession  and  persons.  His  en- 
emies and  their  outrage  against  his  truth  and  servants  in 
the  persons  and  bloody  proceedings  of  the  prelates  of  this 
landj  and  their  accomplices. 

*'  We  profess  the  same  faith,  and  truth  of  the  gospel 
"with   her  majesty,    which    your   honours,   this    whole 


v        PERSECtTTED    UNDER    ET»ISCOPACY.  525 

land,  and  all  the  reformed  churches  under  heaven,  this 
day,  do  hold  and  maintain.  We  go  beyond  them  (being 
our  only  fault,  even  in  the  judgment  of  our  tyrannical 
and  most  savage  enemies)  in  the  detestation  of  all  popery, 
that  most  fearful  antichristian  religion,  and  draw  nearer, 
in  some  points,  by  our  practice  unto  Christ's  holy  order 
and  institution.  This  is  our  faith,  tbis  is  our  cause  (right 
honourable)  yea,  the  Lord's  cause  in  our  sinful  hands. 

**  For  the  profession  and  maintenance  of  which  faith,  the 
fore  named  enemies  of  God  detain  in  their  hands  within 
the  prisons,  about  London  (not  to  speak  of  other  gaols 
throughout  the  land)  about  threescore  and  twelve  per- 
sons, men.  women,  young,  and  old,  lying  in  coid,  in  hun- 
ger, in  dungeons,  and  in  irons ;  of  which  number,  they 
have  taken  the  Lord's  day  last,  being  the  3d  day  of  the 
4th  month,  1592,  about  sixteen  persons  hearing  the 
word  of  God  truly  taught,  praying  and  praising  God  for 
his  favours  shewed  unto  us,  unto  her  majesty,  your  hon- 
ours, and  this  |Whole  land,  and  desiring  our  God  to  be 
merciful  to  us,  unto  our  gracious  prince  and  country. 
Being  employed  in  these  holy  actions,  and  no  other  (as 
the  parties,  who  disturbed  them  can  testify)  they  were  ta- 
ken in  the  very  place  where  the  persecuted  church  and 
martyrs  were  enforced  to  use  the  like  exercise  in  queen 
Mary's  days. 

"The  former  number  are  now  unbailable,  committed  by 
the  prelate  or  bishop  of  London,  unto  whose  close  (for 
the  most  part)  several  prisons,  as  Bridewell,  Limbo  or 
Dungeon  in  Newgate,  the  Fleet,  the  Marshalsea,  the 
Compters,  the  Clink,  the  Gatehouse,  the  White-Lion, 
^c.  wherein  we  willingly  acknowledge  tlie  lot  and  inher- 
itance in  this  life,  of  our  forefathers  and  brethren,  the 
holy  martyrs  of  the  former  age,  and  the  entailed  acel- 
dama,  or  bloody  succession  of  the  see  of  London,  and 
that  whole  lineage.  Well,  here  our  brethren  lie  (how 
long,  Lord,  holy  and  true,  thou  knowcst !)  in  dungeons, 
in  hunger,  in  cold,  in  nakedness,  and  all  outward  distress; 
lor  these  bloody  men  will  allow  them  neither  meat, 
drink,  fire,  lodging,  nor  suffer  any  whose  hearts  the 
Lord  would  stir  up  for  their  relief,   to  have  any  access 


B2S  PERSECtyXED    l/l^DER    EPISCOPACY. 

unto  them,  purposing  belike,  to  imprison  them  unto 
death,  as  they  have  done  seventeen  or  eighteen  others, 
in  the  same  noisome  gaols,  within  these  six  years.  The 
husband  and  wife  being  now  taken  by  them,  they  per- 
mit not  to  be  in  the  same,  but  have  sent  them  to  be  close 
kept  in  other  prisons.  What  the  poor  family  doth  at 
home,  in  the  mean  time,  your  lordships  may  consider, 
-and  justly  pity.  Some  of  this  company  had  not  one  pen- 
ny about  them,  when  they  were  sent  to  close  prison,  nor 
any  thing,  being  abroad  (which  is  the  case  of  most  of 
them,  if  not  all)  to  procure  themselves  and  their  poor 
families  any  maintenance,  save  only  their  handy  labours 
and  trades,  whereby  it  is  come  to  pass,  that  these  enemies 
of  God,  do  not  only  starve  and  undo  a  number  of  men 
in  the  prisons,  but  even  a  lamentable  company  of  poor 
orphans  and  servants  abroad ;  their  unbridled  slanders  ; 
their  lawless  privy  searches  ;  their  violent  breaking  open 
and  rifling  of  our  houses  ;  their  lamentable  and  barbarous 
usages  of  women  and  young  children,  in  these  hostile 
assaults  ;  their  uncontroled  thievery ;  robbing  and  taking 
away  of  whatsoever  they  think  meet  from  us  in  this  case  ; 
their  unappeased  and  merciless  pursuit  of  us  from  our 
houses,  trades,  wives,  children,  especially  from  the  holy 
society  of  the  saints  and  church  of  God,  we  are  enforced 
to  omit,  lest  we  should  be  over- tedious  to  your  lordships  ; 
but  their  dealing  this  way  towards  us  is  so  woful  (right 
honourable)  as  we  may  truly  demand  with  grief  of  heart, 
whether  the  foreign  enemy,  or  our  native  countrymen, 
do  possess  and  bear  rule  over  us  in  our  dear  and  native 
country  ? 

*'  Their  whole  dealing  herein  is  most  barbarous, 
most  inhuman,  but  especially  most  unchristian,  and 
such  as  exceeds  the  cruelty  of  the  heathen  and  pop- 
ish professed  tyrants,  and  persecutors.  The  records 
of  the  heathen  persecutions  under  Nero,  Trajan,  De- 
cius,  Galienus,  Maximinian,  8s:c.  can  scarce  aflford  us 
any  examples  of  the  like  cruelty  and  havoc ;  for  the 
heathen  Romans  would  murder  openly  and  professedly. 
These  godless  men  have  put  the  blood  of  war  about 
them,  in  the  day  of  the  peace  and  truth,  which  this  whole 


PERSECUTED    UNDER    EPISCOPACV.  £27 

land  professeth  to  hold  with  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  ser- 
vants. Bishop  Bonner,  Story,  and  Weston,  dealt  not 
after  this  sort ;  for  those  whom  they  committed  close, 
they  would  also  either  feed,  or  permit  to  be  fed  by 
others,  and  they  brought  them  in  short  spa(!e  openly  into 
Smithfield  to  end  their  misery,  and  to  begin  their  never 
ending  joy.  Whereas  Bishop  Elinar,  Dr.  Stanhope,  and 
Mr.  justice  Young,  with  the  rest  of  that  persecuting  and 
blood-thirsty  faculty,  will  do  neither  of  these.  No  felons 
no  murderers,  no  traitors  in  this  land,  are  so  dealt  with. 

*'  There  are  many  of  us,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  still  out 
of  their  hands.  The  former  holy  exercise  and  profes-^ 
sion,  we  purpose  not  to  leave,  by  the  assistance  of  God. 
We  liave  as  good  warrant  to  reject  the  ordinances  of 
antichrist,  and  labour  for  the  recovery  of  Christ's  holy 
institutions,  as  our  fathers  and  brethren,  in  queen  Ma- 
ry's days,  had  to  do  the  hke ;  and  we  doubt  not,  if  our 
cause  was  truly  known  unto  her  majesty  and  your  wis- 
doms, but  w^e  should  find  greater  favour  than  they  did, 
whereas  our  estate  now  is  far  more  lamentable. 

"  And,  therefore,  we  humbly  and  earnestly  crave  of  her 
majesty  and  your  lordships,  both  for  ourselves  abroad, 
and  for  our  brethren  now  in  miserable  captivity,  but  just 
and  equal  trial,  according  unto  her  majesty's  laws.  If 
we  prove  not  our  adversaries  to  be  in  a  most  pestilent 
ai:id  godless  course,  both  in  regard  of  their  offices,  and 
their  proceedings  in  them,  and  ourselves  to  be  in  the 
right  way,  we  desire  not  to  have  the  benefit  of  her  majes- 
ty's true  and  faithful  subjects,  which,  of  all  earthly 
favours,  we  account  to  be  one  of  the  greatest.  Are  we 
malefactors  ?  Are  we  anywise  undutiful  unto  our  prince^ 
Maintain  we  any  errors  ?  Let  us  then  be  judicially  con- 
victed thereof,  and  delivered  to  the  civil  authority  ;  but 
let  not  these  bloody  men  both  accuse,  condemn,  and 
closely  murder  after  this  sort,  contrary  to  all  law,  equity, 
and  conscience,  where  they  alone  are  the  plaintifi's,  the 
accusers,  the  judges,  and  the  executioners,  of  their  most 
fearful  and  barbarous  tyranny. 

They  should  not,  by  the  laws  of  this  land,  go  any  fur- 
ther in  cases  of  religion,  than  their  own  ecclesiastical  cen- 


528  PERSECUTED    t^NDER    EPISCOPACY, 

sure,  and  then  refer  us  to  the  civil  power.  Their  fore- 
fathers, Gardner,  Bonner,  and  Story,  dealt  thus  equall}^ 
and  we  crave  but  this  equity.  Oh!  let  her  excellent 
majesty,  our  sovereign,  and  your  wisdoms,  consider  and 
accord'  unto  this  our  just  petition  ;  for  streams  of  inno- 
cent blood  are  like  to  be  spilt  in  secret  by  these  blood- 
thirsty men,  except  her  majesty  and  your  lordships  do 
take  order  with  their  most  cruel  and  inhuman  proceedings. 

"  We  crave  for  all  of  us  but  the  liberty  either  to  die 
©penly,  or  to  live  openly,  in  the  land  of  our  nativity.  If 
we  deserve  death,  it  beseemeth  the  majesty  of  justice 
not  to  see  us  closely  murdered  ;  yea,  starved  to  death 
with  hunger  and  cold,  and  stifled  in  loathsome  dungeons. 
If  we  be  guiltless,  we  crave  but  the  benefit  of  our 
innocence,  viz.  That  we  may  have  peace  to  serve  our  God 
and  our  prince  in  the  place  of  the  sepulchre  of  our  fathers. 

""  Thus,  protesting  our  innocence,  complaining  of  vio- 
lence and  wrong,  and  crying  for  justice  on  the  behalf, 
and  on  the  name  of  that  righteous  judge,  the  God  of 
equity  and  justice,  we  continue  our  prayers  unto  him  for 
her  majesty  and  your  honours,  whose  hearts  we  beseech 
him  to  incline  towards  this  our  most  equal  and  just  suit, 
through  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.'' 

Besides  many  that  finished  their  days  in  loathsome 
prisons,  there  were  five  condemned  and  executed,  sealing 
their  testimonies  with  their  blood.  Their  names  were  Eli- 
as  Thacker,  John  Copping,  Henry  Barrowe,  John  Green- 
wood, and  John  Penry  ;  of  whom  we  shall  now  insert  a 
farther  account. 

Two  ministers  of  the  Brownist  persuasion  were  con- 
demned and  put  to  death,  in  the  summer  of  1583,  for  non- 
conformity, viz.  Elias  Thacker,  hanged  at  St.  Edmund's 
Bury,  June  4th,  and  John  Copping,  two  days  after. 
Their  indictments  were  for  spreading  certain  books, 
seditiously  penned  by  Robert  Brown,  against  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,  established  by  the  laws  of  this  realm. 
The  sedhion  cliarged  uponBrown's  book  was,  that  it  sub- 
verted the  constitution  of  the  church,  and  acknowledged 
her  majesty's  supremacy  civilly,  but  not  otherwise,   as. 


PERSECUTED    UNDER    EPISCOPACY.  529 

appears  by  the  report  which  the  judges  sent  to  court  viz. 
that  tlie  prisoners,  instead  of  acknowledging  her  majes- 
ty's supremacy  in  all  causes,  would  allow  it  only  in  civil. 
This  the  judges  took  hold  of,  to  aggravate  their  offence 
to  the  queen,  after  they  had  passed  sentence  upon  them, 
on  the  late  statute  of  the  23d  Eliz.  aiiainst  spreading  se- 
ditious libels,  and  for  refusing  the  oath  of  supremacy. 
Copping  had  suffered  a  long  and  illegal  imprisonment 
from  the  bishop  of  his  diocess  :  his  wife  -being  brought 
to  bed  while  he  was  under  confinement,  he  was  charged 
with  not  suffering  his  child  to  be  baptized  ;  to  which  he 
answered,  that  his  conscience  could  not  admit  it  to  be 
done  with  god -fathers  and  god- mothers,  and  he  could  get 
no  preacher  to  do  it  without.  He  was  accused  further 
with  saying,  the  queen  was  perjured,  because  she  had 
sworn  to  set  forth  God's  glory  directly,  as  by  the  scrip- 
tures are  appointed,  and  did  not ;  but  these  were  only 
circumstances,  to  support  the  grand  charge  of  sedition, 
in  spreading  Brown's  book.  However,  it  seemed  a  little 
hard  to  hang  men  for  spreading  a  seditious  book,  at  a 
time  when  the  author  of  that  very  book  [Brown]  was  par- 
doned and  set*  at  liberty.  Both  the  prisoners  died  by  their 
principles  ;  for  though  Dr.  Still,  the  archbishop's  chap- 
lain, and  others,  travelled  and  conferred  with  them,  yet 
at  the  very  hour  of  their  death,  they  remained  immovea- 
ble ;  they  were  both  found  in  the  doctrinal  articles  of 
the  church  of  England,  and  of  unblemished  lives.  One 
Wilsford,  a  layman,  would  have  suffered  with  them,  but 
upon  conference  with  secretary  Wilson,  who  told  him 
the  queen's  supremacy  might  be  understood,  only  of  her 
majesty's  civil  power  over  ecclesiastical  persons,  he  took 
the  oath,  and  was  discharged. 

Barrowe  was  apprehended  at  the  Clink  prison,  in 
Southwark,  where  he  was  sent  to  visit  his  brother  Green- 
\\^ood.  He  was  carried  immediately  to  Lambeth,  where 
the  archbisliop  would  have  examined  him  upon  the  oath 
rx  officio y  but  he  refused  to  take  it,  or  to  swear  at  all,  up- 
on the  bible  ;  but  (says  he)  by  God's  grace,  I  will  an- 
swer nothing  but  the  truth.  So  the  archbishop  took  a 
paper  of  interrogatories  into  his  hand,  and  asked  him, 

3   y 


530  PERSECUTED    UNDER    EPISC0PACY. 

1.  Whether  the  Lord's  prayer  might  be  used  in 
church  ?  He  answered,  that  in  his  opinion  it  was  rather  a 
summary  than  a  form,  and  not  finding  it  used  by  the  a- 
postles,he  thought  it  should  not  be  constantly  used  by  us. 

2.  VV  hether  forms  of  prayer  may  be  used  in  the 
church  ?  He  answered,  that  none  such  ought  to  be  im- 
posed. 

3.  Whether  the  common  prayer  be  idolatrous,  or  su- 
perstitious ?  He  ahswered,  that  in  his  opinion,  it  was  so. 

4.  Whether  the  sacraments  of  the  church lare  true  sac- 
raments and  seals  of  the  favour  of  God?  He  answered,  he 
thought,  as  they  were  publicly  administered,  they  were 
not. 

5.  Whether  the  laws  of  the  church  were  good  ?  He 
answered,  that  many  of  them  were  unlawful  and  anti- 
christ ian. 

6.  W^hether  the  church  of  England  is  a  true  church  ? 
He  answered,  that  as  it  was  now  formed,  it  was  not ;  yet 
that  there  are  many  excellent,  good  christians  of  it. 

7.  Whether  the  queen  be  supreme  governor  of  the 
church,  and  may  make  laws  fqr  it  ?  He  answered,  that 
the  queen  was  the  supreme  governor  of  the  church,  but 
might  not  make  laws  other  than  Christ  had  left  in  his 
word. 

8.  Whether  a  private  person  may  reform,  if  the  prince 
neglects  it  ?  He  answered,  that  no  private  persons  might 
reform  the  state,  but  they  are  to  abstain  from  unlawful 
things  commanded  by  the  prince. 

9.  Whether  every  particular  church  ought  to  have  a 
prchbytery  ?  He  answered  in  the  affirmative. 

After  this  examination,  he  w  as  remanded  to  close  pris 
on,  and  denied  a  copy  of  his  answers,  though  he  earnest- 
ly desired  it. 

Greenwood,  the  minister,  was  exainined  after  the  same 
manner  before  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the  bish- 
ops of  London  and  Winchester,  the  lords  chief  justices, 
the  lord  chief  baron,  and  the  master  of  the  roTls.  He  had 
interrogatories  put  to  him  as  Barrowe  had,  but  refused 
to  swear,  and  made  much  the  same  answ^er  with  the  oth- 
er.    At  length,  on  the  2lstof  the  month  called  March, 


PERSECUTED    UNDER    EPISCOPACY.  531 

1592,  they*  together  with  Saxio  Bellot,  Gent.  Daniel 
Studley,  girdler,  and  Robert  Bowlle,  were  indicted  at  the 
sessions  house,  Old-Bailey,  upon  tl^  statute  of  23d  Eliz. 
for  writing  and  publishing  sundry  seditious  books  and 
pamphlets,  tending  to  the  slander  of  the  queen  and  gov- 
ernment; when  they  had  only  written  against  the  chinch  ; 
but  this  was  the  archbishop's  artful  contrivance,  to  throw 
oft'  the  odium  of  their  death  from  hynself  to  the  civil 
magistrate ;  for,  as  the  reverend  and  learned  Hugh 
Broughton  observes,  ""  though  Barrowe  and  Green- 
wood were  condemned  for  disturbance  of  the  state  ;  yet 
this  would  have  been  pardoned,  and  their  lives  spared,  if 
they  would  have  promised  to  come  to  church  "  Upon 
their  trial,  they  behaved  with  constaircy  and  resolution, 
shewing  no  token  of  recognition  (says  the  attorney)  nor 
prayer  for  mercy  ;  they  protested  their  inviolable  loyalty 
to  the  queen,  and  obedience  to  her  government ;  that 
they  never  wrote,  nor  so  much  as  intended  any  thing 
against  her  highness,  but  only  against  the  bishops  and 
the  hierarchy  of  the  church;  which  was  apparent  enough. 
However,  the  jury  brought  them  all  in  guilty.  Bellot 
desired  a  conference,  and,  with  tears  confessing  his  sor- 
row for  what  he  had  done,  was  pardoned.  Bowlle  and 
Studley  being  looked  upon  only  as  accessaries,  though 
they  continued  firm,  declaring  their  unshaken  loyalty  to 
the  queen,  and  refusing  to  ask  for  merc}^,  were  repriev- 
ed, and  sent  back  to  prison  ;  but  Barrowe  and  Green- 
wood were  to  be  made  examples.  Sentence  of  death 
being  passed  upon  them,  March  23,  sundry  divines  w^ere 
appointed  to  pursuade  them  to  recant ;  who  not  succeed- 
ing, they  were  brought  in  a  cart  to  Tyburn,  on  the  last 
of  March,  and  exposed  under  the  gallows  for  some  time 
to  the  people,  to  see,  if  the  terrors  of  death  would  af- 
fright tiem  ;  but  remaining  constant,  the}^  were  brought 
back  to  Newgate,  and  on  the  sixth  of  April,  1592,  car- 
ried a  second  time  to  Tyburn,  and  executed.  At  the 
place  of  execution,  they  gave  such  testimonies  of  their 
unfeigned  piety  towards  God,  and  loyalty  to  the  queen, 
pra\  ing  so  earnestly  for  her  long  and  prosperous  reign, 
that  when  Dr.  Reynolds,   who  attended  them,   reported 


532      PERSECUTED  UNDER  EPISCOPACY. 

their  behaviour  to  her  majesty,  she  repented  that  she  had 
yielded  to  their  death. 

About  six  weeks  after  this,  the  reverend  John  Penry 
or  A  p- Henry,  a  Welsh  divine,  was  executed  for  the  same 
crime,  in  a  cruel  and  inhuman  manner.  He  was  a  pi- 
ous and  learned  man,  well  disposed  to  religion,  (says 
Strype)  but  mistaken  in  his  principles,  and  hot  in  his  tem- 
per ;  a  zealous  reformer,  and  a  declared  enemy  of  the 
archbishop.  He  was  born  in  the  county  of  Brecknock, 
and  educated  first  at  Cambridge,  and  afterwards  at  St. 
Alban's-Hall,  Oxford,  where  he  proceeded  M.  A.  1586, 
and  entered  into  holy  orders,  being  well  acquainted  with 
arts  and  languages.  He  preached  in  both  universities 
with  applause,  and  afterwards  travelling  into  Wales,  was 
the  first,  as  he  said,  that  preached  the  gospel  publicly  to 
the  Welsh,  and  sowed  the  good  seed  among  his  country- 
men. In  the  year  1588,  he  published  a  view  of  such 
public  wants  and  disorders,  as  are  in  her  majesty's  coun- 
try of  Wales,  with  a  humble  petition  to  the  high  court 
of  parliament  for  their  redress :  wherein  is  shewed,  not 
only  the  necessity  of  reforming  the  state  of  religion, 
among  that  people,  but  also,  the  only  way  in  regard  of 
substance,  to  bring  that  reformation  to  pass.  He  also 
published  an  exhortation  to  the  governors  and  people  of 
her  majesty's  country  of  Wales,  to  labour  earnestly  to 
have  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  planted  among  them. 
Printed  1588. 

It  was  never  known  before  this  time,  that  a  minister 
and  a  scholar  was  condemned  to  death  for  private  pa- 
pers, found  in  his  study  ;  nor  do  I  remember  more  than 
once  since  that  time,  in  whose  case  it  was  given  for  law, 
that  scribere  est  agere,  that  to  write  has  been  construed 
an  overt-act;  but  Penry  must  die,  right  or  wrong  ;  t"he 
archbishop  \vas  the  first  man  who  signed  the  warrant  for 
his  execution,  and  after  him,  Puckering  and  Popham. 
The  warrant  was  sent  immediately  to  the  sheriff,  who  the 
same  day  erected  a  gallows  at  St,  Thomas  Waterings  ; 
and,  while  the  prisoner  was  at  dinner,  sent  his  officers  to 
bid  him  make  ready,  for  he  must  die  that  afternoon  ;  ac- 
.cordingly  he  was  carried  in  a  cart  to  the  place  of  execu- 


PERSECUTED  UNDER  EPISCOPACY.      533 

tion.  When  he  came  thither,  the  sheriff  would  not  suffer 
him  to  speak  to  the  people,  nor  make  any  profession  of 
his  faith  towards  God,  or  his  loyalty  to  the  queen,  but 
ordered  him  to  be  turned  off  In  a  hurry,  about  five 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  May  29th,  1593,  in  the  34th  year 
of  his  age. 

The  court  being  struck  with  this  behaviour  of  the 
Brownists,  began  to  be  ashamed  of  hanging  men  for 
sedition  against  the  state,  who  died  with  such  strong  pro- 
fessions of  loyalty  to  the  queen  and  government,  and 
therefore  could  suffer  only  for  the  cause  of  religion.  This 
raised  an  odium  against  the  bishops  and  high  commis- 
sioners, who,  all  men  knew,  were  at  the  bottom  of  these 
proceedings.  It  is  said  the  queen  herself  was  displeased 
with  them,  when  she  heard  of  the  devotion  and  loyalty  of 
the  sufferers.  It  was  therefore  resolved,  to  proceed  for 
the  future,  on  the  late  statute  of  the  31st  Eliz.  to  retain 
the  queen's  subjects  in  their  obedience  *;  and,  instead  of 
putting  the  Brownists  to  death,  to  send  them  into  ban- 
ishment. Upoft  this  statute,  Johnston,  pastor  of  the 
brownist  church,  was  convicted,  and  all  the  gaols  were 
cleared  for  the  present ;  though  the  commissioners  took 
care,  within  the  compass  of  another  year,  to  fill  them 
up  again. 

Queen  Elizabeth  died  in  the  year  1602,  in  the  70th 
year  of  her  age,  and  45th  of  her  reign ;  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  king  James  I.  who  ascended  the  English 
throne,  the  succeeding  year,  having  reigned  in  Scotland 
from  his  infancy. 

The  Puritants  suffered  greatly  also  in  the  reign  of 
king  James,  who,  in  his  speech  to  the  parliament,  in  the 
year  1620,  said,  "  As  touching  religion,  laws  enough 
are  made  already.  It  stands  in  two  points,  persuasion 
and  compulsion :  men  may  persuade,  but  God  must 
give  the  blessing.  Jesuits,  priests,  puritans,  and  secta- 
ries, erring  both  on  the  right  hand,  and  left  hand,  are 
forward  to  persuade  unto  their  own  ends,  and  so  ought 
you  the  bishops,  in  your  example  and  preaching ;  but 
compulsion  to  obey  is  to  blind  the  conscience." 


534  PERSECUTED    UNDER    EPISCOPACY. 

These  people  presented  the  following  address  to  the 
king  and  parliament,  relating  the  great  oppressions  they 
were  under. 


^'  To  our  sovereign  lord  the  king^ s  most  excellent  majesty^ 
together  with  the  honourable  nobility^  knights^  a?jd  bur- 
gesses, 7io.iv  assembled  at  the  high-court  of  parliaments 

"  May  it  please  your  majesty,  honours,  worships,  gra- 
ciously to  respect  the  humble  suit  of  God's  poor  afflicted 
^rvants,  and  well-afFected  loyal  subjects  to  your  highness 
and  honours  :  we  are  many  of  us  constrained  to  live  in  ex- 
ile out  of  our  native  country,  others  detained  in  prisons, 
all  of  us  in  some  affliction,  which  the  prelates  and  clergy 
of  this  land  have  inflicted  upon  us  for  our  faith  in  God,  and 
obedience  to  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  We 
have  never  to  this  day  been  convinced  of  heresy,  error,  or 
crime,  for  which  we  should  sustain  the  great  calamities  we 
have  endured.  The  grounds  of  christian  religion,  pro- 
fessed and  maintained  in  this  land,  and  other  churches 
round  about,  we  also  with  one  heart  and  spirit  assent  unto 
and  possess  :  enemies  we  are  to  all  popery,  anabaptistery, 
or  other  heresy,  schism,  rebellion,  treason,  or  faction,  and 
whatsoever  else  is  contrary  to  the  wholesome  doctrine  of 
the  gospel,  or  the  prosperity  and  good  estate  of  this  realm; 
our  only  desire  is  to  serve  God,  as  that  we  may  please  him 
with  reverence  and  fear,  abstaining  and  keeping  our  souls 
and  bodies  from  all  remnants  of  the  Roman  religion,  idol- 
atry, imposition,  and  vain  will-worshjp,  of  what  sort  soev- 
er :  we  witness  against  the  unlawful  pompous  hierarchy 
and  priesthood  of  this  nation,  as  utterly  disagreeing  from 
the  Testament  of  Christ,  and  ministry  there  appointed,  in 
their  offices,  callings,  administrations,  and  lord-like  livings 
and  maintenance ;  against  the  confuse,  profane  and  irrelig- 
ious multitude  of  all  sorts  of  vicious  livers,  baptized  into, 
and  retained  in  the  body  of  the  church  of  England,  with- 
out voluntary  profession  of,  and  holy  walking  in  the  faith 
of  the  gospel ;  against  their  manner  of  worship  and  ser- 
vice, by  reading  prayers  out  of  a  book,  instead  of  true 


PERSECUTED    UNDER    EPISCOPACY.  535 

Spiritual  invocation  on  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  and  briefly, 
against  all  their  popish  aDuses  and  relics  of  the  man  of  sin 
whaisoevtr ;  and  because  this  our  testimony  maketh 
against  the  irregular  authority  of  the  prelates,  reproveth 
their  ^vil  actions,  and  disapproveth  their  pomp,  stateliness, 
rich  revenues,  stipends,  &c.  therefore  have  they  in  all  hos- 
tile manner  set  themselves  against  us,  persecuting  us  unto 
bands,  exile^  and  death  itself,  reproaching  us  as  Schismat- 
ic ks,  Donatists,  Brownists,  seditious  persons,  &c.  though 
they  could  never  convince  us  of  these,  or  any  the  like 
crimes  ;  and  though  we  have  not  ceased,  neither  by  God's 
grace  will  cease,  to  wish  and  produce  good  to  their  souls 
and  bodies  in  the  Lord  :  now,  therefore,  our  humble  re- 
quest is  unto  your  majesty,  honours,  and  worships,  that 
notwithstanding  these  differences,  we  may  be  suffered  to 
return  into  our  native  country,  there  to  live  in  peace,  prac- 
tising the  faith  of  Christ,  which  we  profess,  and  have  long 
since  set  forth  to  the  view  of  the  world  in  our  public  con- 
fession, ^\  herein  none  hitherto  have  shewed  us  any  error ; 
and  seeing  the  people  of  odier  nations  are  by  your  majesty 
and  honours  suffered  in  this  realm,  though  differing  from 
the  ecclesiastical  state  of  the  same,  we  hope  that  your 
highness's  natural  and  loyal  subjects  may  find  like  favour 
at  your  hands  ;  for  although  we  cannot  but  hold  and  wit- 
ness the  truth  of  God  against  the  corruptions  remaining, 
3'et  hold  we  in  no  wise  lawful  for  ourselves,  or  any  sub- 
jects, to  attempt  the  reforming  or  abolishing  of  these,  or 
any  the  like  abuses  ;  for  God  hath  committed  the  sword 
into  your  majesty's  hand  alone  ;  who  in  his  time  will  per- 
suade (we  trust)  your  royal  heart  to  fulfil  his  will,  and  ex- 
ecute his  judgments  upon  the  remainders  of  the  spiritual 
Babylon,  which  will  turn  to  as  great  honour  to  God,  hon- 
our to  your  majesty,  and  good  of  this  realm,  as  the  abol- 
ishing of  abbots,  monks,  friars,  mass,  images,  &:c.  hath 
turned  heretofore. 

"  So  the  Lord  of  lords,  c^jid  Ruler  of  the  earth,  will  estab- 
lish your  crown  and  kingdom  unto  length  of  days  ;  and 
howsoe\  er  this  our  suit  will  be  regarded,  \vc  will  not  cease 
in  all  places  of  our  pilgrimage,  to  pray  for  and  procure  the 
^ood  of  your  majesty,  your  honours,  ^^'orships,  and  all  our 


$-36  PERSECUTED    UNDER    EPISCOPACY. 

country,  whom  God  Almighty  bless  with  long  life  and  hap- 
py  days  on  earth,  and  crown  with  everlasting  glory  in  the 
highest  heavens,  Amen."    > 

In  the  year,  1604,  in  this  king's  reign,  four  persons 
were  banished  out  of  England,  after  they  had  suffered 
three  months'  imprisonment,  for  no  other  cause  than  sep- 
arating themselves  from  the  church  of  England,  refusing 
to  communicate,  join,  or  partake  widi  the  same  in  their 
public  ministry  and  worship,  reputing  many  corruptions 
to  be  still  remaining  amongst  them,  which  were  derived 
from  popery. 


PERSECUTIONS 

IN 

GREAT-BRITAIN  AND  AMERICA, 

AFTER  THE  MIDDLE  OF  THE  SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY. 


About  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  much 
persecution  and  suffering  were  inflicted  on  a  sect  of 
protestant  dissenters,  commonly  called  Quakers  :  a  people 
which  arose  at  that  time  in  England ;  some  of  whom  sealed 
their  testimony  with  their  blood. 

For  an  account  of  the  above  people,  see  Sewel's,  or 
Gough's  History  of  them. 

The  principal  points  in  which  thek  conscientious  non- 
conformity rendered  them  obnoxious  to  the  penalties  of 
the  law,  were, 

1.  Their  christian  resolution  of  assembling  publicly  for 
the  worship  of  God,  in  a  manneii  most  agreeable  to  their 
consciences. 

2.  Their  refusal  to  pay  tithes,  which  they  esteemed  a 
Jewish  ceremony,  abrogated  by^the  coming  of  Christ. 

3.  Their  testimony  against  wars  and  fighting,  the  prac- 
tice of  which,  they  judged  inconsistent  with  the  commancj 
of  Christ :   "  Love  your  enemies,"  &:c.  Mat.  v.  44. 

4.  Their  constant  obedience  to  the  command  of  Christ : 
"  Swear  not  at  all,"  &c.   Mat.  v.  34. 

5.  Th«'ir  refusal  to  pay  rates  or  assessments  for  building 
and  repairing  houses  for  a  worship  which  they  did  not 
approve. 


538  PERSECUTIONS    IST 

6.  Their  use  of  the  proper  and  scriptural  language,  of 
"  thou,"  and  "  thee,"  to  a  single  person  :  and  their  disuse 
of  the  custom  of  uncovering  their  heads,  or  pulling  off 
their  hats,  by  way  of  homage  to  man. 

7.  The  necessity  many  found  themselves  under,  of 
publishing  what  they  believed  to  be  the  doctrine  of  truth  ; 
and  sometimes  even  in  the  places  appointed  for  the  pub- 
lic national  worship. 

Their  conscientious  non-compliance  in  the  preceding 
particulars,  exposed  them  to  much  persecution  and  suffer- 
ing, which  consisted  in  prosecutions ;  fines ;  cruel  beat- 
ings, whippings,  and  other  corporeal  punishments ;  im- 
prisonment ;  banishment ;  and  even  death. 

To  relate  a  particular  account  of  their  persecutions  and 
sufferings,  would  extend  beyond  the  limits  of  this  work : 
we  shall  therefore  refer,  for  that  information,  to  the  histo- 
ries already  mentioned,  and  more  pai^icularly  to  Besse's 
Collection  of  their  sufferings ;  and  shall  confine  our  ac- 
count here,  mostly  to  those  who  sacrificed  their  lives,  and 
evinced,  by  their  disposition  of  mind,  constancy,  patience, 
and  faithful  perseverance,  that  they  were  influenced  by  a 
sense  of  religious  duty. 

Numerous  and  repeated  were  the  prosecutions  against 
them ;  and  sometimes  for  transgressions  or  offences, 
which  the  law  did  not  contemplate  or  embrace. 

Many  of  the  fines  and  penalties  exacted  of  them,  were 
not  only  unreasonable  and  exorbitant,  but  as  they  could 
not  consistently  pay  them,  were  sometimes  distrained  to 
several  times  the  value  4)f  the  demand ;  whereby  many 
poor  families  were  greatly  distressed,,  and  obliged  to  de- 
pend on  the  assistance  of  their  friends. 

Numbers  were  not  only  cruelly  beaten  and  whipped  in  a 
public  manner,  like  criminals,  but  some  were  branded,  and 
others  had  their  ears  cut  off. 

Great  numbers  were  long  confined  in  loathsome  pris- 
ons ;  in  which,  some  ended  their  days,  in  consequence- 
thereof. 

Many  were  sentenced  to  banishment ;  and  a  considera 
ble number  uere  transported.     Some    were  banished   on 
pain  of  death ;  and  four  were  actually  executed  by  the 


GREAT-BRITAIN    ANB    AMERICA.  539 

hands  of  the  hangman,  as  we  shall  here  relate,  after  insert- 
ing copies  of  some  of  the  laws  of  the  country  where  they 
sufiered. 


''At  a  General  Court  held  at  Boston^  the  14M  ofOct^  1656. 

'*  Whereas,  there  is  a  cursed  sect  of  heretics,  lately 
risen  up  in  the  world,  which  are  commonly  called  qua- 
le ers,  who  take  upon  them  to  be  immediately  sent  from 
God,  and  infallibly  assisted  by  the  Spirit,  to  speak  and 
write  blasphemous  opinions,  despising  govcrmnent,  and 
the  order  of  God,  in  the  church  and  commonwealth, 
speaking  evil  of  dignities,  reproaching  and  reviling  mag- 
istrates and  ministers,  seeking  to  turn  the  people  from 
the  faith,  and  gain  proselytes  to  their  pernicious  ways : 
this  court  taking^to  consideration  the  premises,  and  to 
prevent  the  iikemischief,  as  by  their  means  is  wrought 
in  our  land,  doth  hereby  order,  and  by  authority  of 
this  court,  be  it  ordered  and  enacted,  that  what  master 
or  commander  of  any  ship,  bark,  pink,  or  catch,  shall 
henceforth  bring  into  any  harbour,  creek,  or  cove,  with- 
in this  jurisdiction,  any  quaker  or  quakers,  or  other  blas- 
phemous heretics,  shall  pay,  or  cause  to  be  paid,  the 
fine  of  one  hundred  pounds  to  the  treasurer  of  the  coun- 
try, except  it  appear  he  want  true  knowledge  or  infor- 
mation of  their  being  such  ;  and,  in  that  case,  he  hath 
liberty  to  clear  himself  by  his  oath,  when  sufficient  proof 
to  the  contrary  is  wanting  :  and,  for  default  of  good  pay* 
ment,  or  good  security  for  it,  shall  be  cast  into  prison, 
and  there  to  continue  till  the  said  sum  be  satisfied  to  the 
treasurer  as  aforesaid.  And  the  commander  of  any 
catch,  ship,  or  vessel,  being  legally  convicted,  shall  give 
in  sufficient  security  to  the  governor,  or  any  one  or  more 
of  the  magistrates,  who  have  power  to  determine  tlie 
same,  to  carry  them  back  to  the  place  whence  he  brought 
them  ;  and,  on  his  refusal  so  to  do,  the  governor,  or  one 
or  more  of  the  magistrates,  are  hereby  empowered  to 
issue  out  his  orfheir  warrants  to  commit  such  master  or 
commander  tp  prison,   there  to  continue,  till  he  give  in 


540  PERSECUTIONS    IN 

sufficient  security  to  the  content  of  the  governor,  of  any 
of  the  magistrates,  as  aforesaid.  And  it  is  hereby  further 
ordered  and  enacted,  that  what  quaker  soever  shall  arrive 
in  this  country  from  foreign  parts,  or  shall  come  into 
this  jurisdiction  from  any  parts  adjacent,  shall  be  forth- 
with committed  to  the  house  of  correction  ;  and,  at  their 
entrance  to  be  severely  whipped,  and  by  the  master  thereof 
be  kept  constantly  to  work,  and  none  suffered  to  converse 
or  speak  with  them,  during  the  time  of  their  imprison- 
ment, which  shall  be  no  longer  than  necessity  requires; 
Audit  is  ordered,  if  any  person  shall  knowingly  import 
into  any  harbour  of  this  jurisdiction,  any  quakers'  books 
or  writings,  concerning  their  devilish  opinions,  shall  pay 
for  such  book  or  writing,  being  legally  proved  against 
him  or  them,  the  sum  of  five  pounds  ;  and  whosoever 
shall  disperse  or  conceal  any  such  book  or  writing,  and 
il  be  found  with  him  or  her,  or  in  his|^r  her  house,  and 
shall  not  immediately  deliver  the  same  to  the  next  mag- 
istrate,  shall  forfeit  or  pay  five  pounds,  for  the  dispersing 
or  concealing  of  any  such  book  or  writing.  And  it  is 
hereby  further  enacted,  that  if  any  person,  within  this 
colony,  shall  take  upon  them  to  defend  the  heretical  opin- 
ions of  the  quakers,  or  any  of  their  books  or  papers,  as 
aforesaid,  if  legally  proved,  shall  be  fined  for  the  first  time 
forty  shillings;  if  they  shall  persist  in  the  same,  and 
shall  again  defend  it  the  second  time,  four  pounds ;  if 
notwithstanding  they  shall  again  defend  and  maintain  the 
said  quakers'  heretical  opinions,  they  shall  be  committed 
to  the  house  of  correction \  till  there  be  convenient  pas- 
sage to  send  them  out  of  the  land,  being  sentenced  by  the 
court  of  Assistants  to  banishment.  Lastly,  it  is  hereby 
ordered,  that  what  person  or  persons  soever,  shall  revile 
the  persons  of  the  magistrates  or  ministers,  as  is  usual 
with  the  quakers,  such  person  or  persons  shall  be  severe^ 
ly  whipped,  or  pay  the  sum  of  five  pounds. 

**  This  is  a  true  copy  of  the  court's  order,  as  attests 

^^  Edward  Rawson,  Sec," 


GREAT-SRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.*  541 

^'Ata  General  Court  held  at  Boston^  the  i4th  of  Oct.  1657. 

*'  As  an  addition  to  the  late  order,  in  reference  to  the 
coming  or  bringing  of  any  of  the  cursed  sect  of  the  qua- 
kers  into  this  jurisdiction,  it  is  ordered,  that  whosoever 
shall  fron>  henceforth  bring,  or  cause  to  be  brought  direct- 
ly or  indirectly,  any  known  quaker  or  quakers,  or  other 
blasphemous  heretics,  into  this  jurisdiction,  every  such 
person  shall  forfeit  the  sum  of  one  hundred  pounds  to  the' 
country,  and  shall  by  warrant  from  any  magistrate  be  com- 
mitted to  prison,  there  to  remain  till  the  penalty  be  satis- 
fied and  paid  ;  and  if  any  person  or  persons,  within  this  ju- 
risdiction, shall  henceforth  entertain  and  conceal  any  such 
quaker  or  quakers,  or  other  blasphemous  heretics,  know- 
ing them  so  to  be,  every  such  person  shall  forfeit  to  the 
country  forty  shillings  for  every  hour's  entertainment  and 
concealment  of  an^  quaker  or  quakers,  &c.  as  aforesaid, 
and  shall  be  comrMted  to  prison  as  aforesaid,  till  the  for- 
feiture be  fully  satisfied  and  paid.  And  it  is  further  or- 
dered, that  if  any  quaker  or  quakers  shall  presume,  after 
they  have  once  suffered  what  the  law^  requires,  to  come  in- 
to this  jurisdiction,  every  such  male  quaker  shall,  for  the 
first  oft'ence,  have  one  of  his  ears  cut  oft',  and  be  kept  at 
work  in  the  house  of  correction,  till  he  can  be  sent  away 
at  his  own  charge;  and  for  the  second  oftcnce,  shall  have  his 
other  ear  cut  off:  and  every  woman  quaker,  iliat  has  suffer- 
ed the  law  here,  that  shall  presume  to  come  into  this  juris- 
diction, shall  be  severely  whipped,  and  kept  at  the  house  of 
correction  at  work,  till  she  be  sent  aw^ay  at  her  own  chaige, 
and  so  also  for  her  coming  again,  she  shall  be  alike  used 
as  aforesaid.  And  for  every  quaker,  he  or  she,  that  shall  a 
third  time  herein  again  offend,  they  shall  have  their  tongues 
bored  through  with  an  hot  iron,  and  be  kept  at  the  hjj^ise 
of  correction  close  to  work,  till  they  be  sent  away  at  tlieir 
own  charge.  And  it  is  further  ordered,  that  all  and  every 
quaker  arising  from  among  ourselves,  shall  be  dealt  wath, 
and  suffer  the  like  punishment  as  the  law  provides  against 
foreign  quakers. 

*' Edward  Rawson,  Sepr." 


542  PERSECUTIONS    IN 

*'  jln  Act  made  at  a  General  Cowts  held  at  Bostwi^  the 
20th  of  October,   1658. 

"Whereas,  there  is  a  pernicious  sect,  qommonly 
called  quakers,  lately  risen,  who  by  word  and  writing 
have  published  and  maintained  many  dangerous  and 
horrid  tenets,  and  do  take  upon  them  to  change  and 
alter  the  received  laudable  customs  of  our  nation,  in 
giving  civil  respect  to  equals,  or  reverence  to  superiors; 
whose  actions  tend  to  undermine  the  civil  government, 
and  also  to  destroy  ^he  order  of  the  churches,  by  denying 
all  established  forms  of  worship,  and  by  wiih  Irawing 
fr^m  orderly  church  fellows  ip,  allowed  and  approved 
by  all  orthodox  professoi  s  of  truth,  and  instead  thereof, 
and  in  opposition  thereunto,  frequently  meeting  bv  them- 
selves, insinuating  themselves  into  the  minds  of  the 
simple,  or  such  as  are  least  affected  tG|^he  order  and  gov- 
ernment of  church  and  commonwealth,  whereby  divers 
of  our  inhabitants  have  been  infected,  notwithstanding 
all  former  laws,  made  upon  the  experience  of  their  arro- 
gant and  bold  obtrusions,  to  disseminate  their  principles 
amongst  us,  prohibiting  their  coming  into  this  jurisdic- 
tion, they  have  not  been  deterred  from  their  impetuous 
attempts  to  undermine  our  peace,  and  hazard  our  ruin. 

'''  For  prevention  thereof,  this  court  doth  order  and 
^nact,  that  every  person  or  persons,  of  the  cursed 
sect  of  the  quakers,  who  is  not  an  inhabitant  of,  but  is 
found  within  this  jurisdiction,  siiall  be  apprehended  with- 
out warrant,  where  no  magistrate  is  at  hand,  by  any  conr 
stable,  commissioner,  or  select  man,  and  conveyed  from 
constable,  to  constable,  to  the  next  magistrate,  who  shall 
commit  the  said  person  to  close  prison,  there  to  remain 
(witliout  bail)  until  the  next  court  of  Assistants,  where 
ihey  shall  have  legal  trial.  And  being  convicted  to  be 
of  the  sect  of  tlic  quakers,  shall  be  sentenced  to  banish- 
ment, on  pain  of  death.  And  that  every  inhabitant  of  this 
jurisdiction,  being  convicted  to  be  of  the  aforesaid  sect, 
either  by  taking  uj),  publishing,  or  defending  the  horrid 
opinic^is  of  the  quakers,  or  the  stirring  up  mutiny,  sedi- 
tion, or  rebellion  against  the  government,  or  by  taking 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.  543 

up  their  abusive  and  destructive  practices,  viz.  deny- 
ing civil  respect  to  equals  and  superiors,  and  withdraw- 
ing from  the  church  assemblies  ;  and  instead  thereof,  fre- 
quenting meetings  of  their  own,  in  opposition  to  our 
church  order  ;  adhering  to,  or  approving  of  any  known 
quaker,  and  the  tenets  and  practices  of  quakers,  that  are 
opposite  to  the  orthodox  received  opinions  of  the  godly  ; 
and  endeavouring  to  disaffcct  others  to  civil  government 
and  church  order,  or  condemning  the  practice  and  pro- 
ceedings of  this  court  against  the  quakers,  manifesting 
thereby  their  complying  with  those,  whose  design  is  to 
overthrow  the  order  established  in  church  and  state  :  ev- 
ery such  person,  upon  conviction  before  the  said  courtrof 
Assistants,  in  manner  aforesaid,  shall  be  committed  to 
close  prison  for  one  month,  and  then,  unless  they  clioose 
voluntarily  to  depart  this  jurisdiction,  shall  give  bond  for 
their  good  behaviour,  and  appear  at  the  next  court, 
where,  continuing  obstinate,  and  refusing  to  retract  and 
reforiT)  the  aforesaid  opinions,  tiiey  shall  be  sentenced  to 
banishment,  upon  pain  of  death.  And  any  one  magistrate 
upon  information  given  him  of  any  such  person,  shall 
cause  him  to  be  apprehended,  and  shall  commit  any 
such  person  to  prison,  according  to  his  discretion,  until 
he  come  to  trial  as  aforesaid." 

It  appears  there  were  also  laws  passed  in  both  of  the 
then  colonies  of  New- Plymouth  and  New-Haven,  and  in 
the  Dutch  settlement  at  New- Amsterdam,  now  New- 
York,  prohibiting  the  people  called  quakers,  from  com- 
ing into  those  places,  under  severe  penalties  ;  in  conse- 
quence of  which,  some  underwent  considerable  suflvring. 

The  two  first  that  sealed  their  testimonv  with  their 
blood,  were  William  Robinson,  merchant,  of  London, 
arid  Marmaduke  Stevenson,  a  countryn\an  of  Yoi-kshire. 
These  coming  to  Boston,  in  the  beginning  of  Septembcrj 
were  sent  for  by  the  court  of  Assistant:^  and  there  sen- 
tenced to  banishment,  on  pain  of  death.  This  sentence 
was  passed  also  on  Mar}'  Dyar,  mentioned  he^alter, 
and  Nicholas  Davis,  who  \^'ere  both  at  Boston.  But 
William  Robinson,  being  Ic  jkcd  upon  as  a  teacher.   \ra- 


544  PERSECUTIONS    IK 

also  condemned  to  be  whipped  severely  ;  and  the  constable 
was  commanded  to  get  an  able  man  to  do  it.  Then  Rob-, 
inson  was  brought  into  the  street,  and  there  stripped  ;  and 
having  his  hancls  put  through  the  holes  of  the  carriage  of 
a  great  gun,  where  the  gaoler  held  him,  the  executioner 
gave  him  twenty  stripes,  with  a  three-fold  cord  whip. 
Then  he  and  the  other  prisoners  were  shordy  released,  and 
banished  ;  which,  that  it  was  for  no  other  reason  but  their 
being  quakers,  may  appear  by  the  following  warrant. 

<*  You  are  required  by  these,  presently  to  set  at  liberty 
William  Robinson,  Marmaduke  Stevenson,  Mary  Dyar, 
and  Nicholas  2:  Davis,  who,  by  an  order  of  the  court  and 
council,  had  been  imprisoned,  because  it  appeared  by  their 
own  confession,  words,  and  actions,  that  they  are  quakers  ; 
wherefore,  a  sentence  was  pronounced  against  them,  to 
depart  this  jurisdiction,  on  pain  of  death;  and  th^t  they  must 
answer  it  at  their  peril,  if  they,  or  any  of  them,  after  the 
14di  of  this  present  month,  September,  are  found  within 
this  jurisdiction,  or  any  part  thereof. 

*'  Edward  Rawson. 

"  Boston,  September  12,  1659." 

Thougii  Mary  Dyar  and  Nicholas  Davis  left  that 
jurisdiction  for  that  time,  yet  Robinson  and  Stevenson, 
though  they  departed  the  town  of  Boston,  could  not  yet 
resolve  (not  being  free  in  mind)  to  depart  that  jurisdiction, 
though  their  lives  were  at  stake.  And  so  they  went  to 
Si\lem,  and  some  place  thereabout,  to  visit,  and  build  up 
their  friends  in  the  faith.  But  it  was  not  long  bcfjYe  they 
were  taken,  and  put  again  into  prison  at  Boston,  and  chains 
locked  to  their  legs.  In  the  next  month,  Mary  Dyar  re- 
turned also.  And  as  she  stood  l)efore  the  prison,  speaking 
with  one  Christopher  Holder,  who  was  come  thither  to  in- 
quire for  a  bhip  l.)ound  for  England,  whether  he  intended 
to  go,  she  WL\s  also  taken  into  custody.  Thus,  they  had 
now  three  persons,  who,  according  to  their  sanguinary  law, 
had  forfeited  their  lives.  And,  on  the  20th  of  October, 
these  Ihree  were  brought  into  the  court,  where  John  End- 
icot  and  others  were  assembled.     And  being  called  to  the 


CyiEAT-BHITAIN    AND    AMERICAt  5^5 

t 

bar,  Endicot  commanded  the  keeper  to  pull  off  their  hats  ; 
and  then  said,  that  they  had  made  several  laws  to  keep  the 
quakers  from  amongst  them ;  and  neidier  whipping,  nor 
imprisoning,  nor  cutting  off  ears,  nor  banishing  upon  pain 
of  death,  would  keep  them  from  amongst  them.  And  fur-^ 
ther,  he  said,  that  he  or  they,  desired  not  the  death  of  any 
of  them.  Yet,  notwithstanding,  his  following  words,  with- 
out more  ado,  were,  ''  Give  ear,  and  harken  to  your 
sentence  of  death."  W.  Robinson  then  desired  that  he 
might  be  permitted  to  read  a  paper,  giving  an  account  of 
the  reason  why  he  had  not  departed  that  jurisdiction.  But 
Endicot  would  not  suffer  it  to  be  read,  and  said  in  a  rage, 
*'  You  shall  not  read  it,  nor  will  the  court  hear  it  rea^." 
Then  Robinson  laid  it  on  the  table. 


The  following  is  a  copy  of  it, 

"-  On  the  8th  of  the  eighth  month,  1659,  in  the  after 
part  of  the  day,  in  travelling  between  Newport  in  Rhode- 
Island,  and  Daniel  Gold's  house,  with  my  dear  brother, 
Christopher  Holden,  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  expressly 
to  me,  which  did  fill  me  immediately  with  life  and  power, 
and  heavenly  love,  by  which  he  constrained  me,  and  com- 
manded me  to  pass  to  the  town  of  Boston,  my  life  to  lav 
down,  in  his  will,  for  the  accomplishing  of  his  service,  that 
he  had  there  to  perform,  at  the  day  appointed.  To  which 
heavenly  voice,  I  presently  yielded  obedience,  nor  ques- 
tioned the  Lord,  how  he  would  bring  the  thing  to  pass, 
being,  '^  was  a  child,  and  obedience  was  demanded  of  me 
by  the  Lord,  who  filled  me  with  liA'ing  strength  and  power, 
from  his  heavenly  presence ;  which,  at  that  time,  did 
mightily  overshadow  mc,  and  my  life  at  that  time,  did  say 
Amen,  to  what  the  Lord  required  of  me,  and  had  commanded 
]ne  to  do ;  and  willingly  I  was  given  up,  from  that  time  to 
tliis  day,  tlie  will  of  the  Lord  to  do  and  perform,  whatever 
became  of  my  body.  For  the  Lord  had  said  unto  me, 
'*  My  soul  shall  live  in  everlasting  peace,  and  my  life  shall 
enter  into  rest,  for  being  obedient  to  the  God  of  my  life."  I 
being  a  child,  durst  not  question  the  Lord  in  tiie  least, 

4    A 


5*46  PERSECUTIONS    IN 

bnt  rather  willing  to  lay  down  my  life,  than  to  bring  dis- 
honour to  the  Lord.  And  as  the  Lord  made  me  willing, 
dealing  gently  and  kindly  with  me,  as  a  tender  father  by  a 
faithful  diild,  whom  he  dearly  loves,  so  the  Lord  did  deal 
with  me,  in  ministering  his  life  unto  me,  which  gave  and 
gives  me  strength  to  perform  what  the  Lord  required  of 
me,  and  still  as  I  did,  and  do  stand  in  need,  he  ministered 
and  ministereth  more  strength  and  virtue,  and  heavenly 
power  and  wisdom,  whereby  I  was,  and  am  made  strong 
in  God,  not  fearing  what  man  shall  be  suffered  to  do  unto 
me,  being  filled  with  heavenly  courage,  which  is  meek- 
ness and  innocence,  for  the  cause  is  the  Lord's  that  we  go 
in,  and  the  battle  is  the  Lord's  ;  and  thus  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  the  mighty  and  the  terrible  God,  "  Not  by  strength, 
nor  by  might,  nor  by  power  of  man,^  but  by  my  Spirit," 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts  ;  "I  will  perform  what  my  mouth 
hath  spoken,  through  my  servants,  whom  I  have  chosen, 
mine  elect,  in  whom  my  soul  delighteth."  Friends,  the 
God  of  my  life,  and  the  God  of  the  whole  earth,  did  lay 
this  thin,2;  upon  me,  for  which  I  now  suffer  bonds  near  unto 
death.  He,  by  his  almighty  power  and  everlasting  love, 
constrained  me,  and  laid  this  thing  upon  me  ;  and,  truly,  I 
could  not  deny  the  Lord,  much  less  resist  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel.  Therefore,  all  who  are  ignorant  of  the  motion 
of  the  Lord,  in  the  inward  parts,  be  not  hasty  in  judging 
in  this  matter,  lest  ye  speak  evil  of  the  thing  ye  know  not. 
But,  of  a  truth,  the  Lord >  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  com- 
manded me  by  his  Spirit,  and  spake  unto  me  by  his  Son, 
whom  he  hath  made  heir  of  all  things,  and  in  his  life  1  live, 
and  in  it  I  shall  depart  this  earthly  tabernacle,  if  unmer- 
ciful men  be  suffered  to  take  it  from  me.  And  herein  I 
rejoice,  that  the  Lord  is  with  me,  the  ancient  of  days,  tlie 
lite  of  the  suffering  seed,  for  which  I  am  freely  given  up, 
and  singly  do  I  stand  in  the  will  of  God  ;  for,  to  me,  to  live 
is  Christ,  and  to  die,  is  gain :  and  truly,  I  have  great  de- 
sire and  will  herein,  knowing  that  the  Lord  is  with  me, 
whatever  ignorant  men  shall  be  able  to  say  against  me ; 
for  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  I  have  received,  and  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord  and  Isis  heavenly  life  doth  accompany 
me,  so  that  I  can  say,  in  truth,  and  from  an  upright  hearty. 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.  547 

blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  my  life,  who  hath  counted  me 
worthy,  and  called  me  hereunto,  to  bear  my  testimony 
against  luic^odly  and  unrighteous  men,  who  seek  to  take 
away  the  life  of  the  righteous,  without  a  cause,  as  the  rul- 
ers of  Massachusetts-Ba}'  do  intend,  if  the  Lord  stop  them 
not  from  their  intent.  Oh  1  hear,  ye  rulers,  and  give  ear 
and  listen,  all  ye  that  have  any  hand  herein,  to  put  the  in- 
nocent to  death,  for  in  the  name,  and  fear,  and  dread,  of 
the  Lord  God,  I  here  declare  the  cause  of  my  staying  here 
amongst  you,  imd  continuing  in  ilie  jurisdiction,  after  there 
was  a  sentence  of  banishment  upon  pain  of  death,  as  ye 
said,  pronounced  against  me,  without  a  just  cause  ;  as  ye 
all  know,  that  we  that  were  banislied,  committed  nothing 
worthy  of  banishment,  nor  of  any  punishment,  much  less 
banishment  uiX)n  pain  cf  death.  And  now,  ye  rulers,  ye 
do  intend  to  put  me  to  death,  and  my  companion,  unto 
whom  the  word  of  the  Lord  came,  saying,  "  Go  to  Boston 
with  thy  brother,  William  Robinson."  Unto  which  com- 
mand he  was  obedient,  who  had  said  unto  him,  "  he  had  a 
great  work  for  him  to  do."  Which  thing  is  now  seen,  and 
the  Lord  is  now  a  doing  of  it ;  and  it  is  in  obedience  to  the 
Lord,  the  God  of  the  whole  earth,  that  we  continued 
amongst  you,  and  that  w^e  came  to  the  town  of  Boston 
again,  in  obedience  to  the  Lord,  the  Creator  of  heaven  and 
earth,  in  whose  hand  your  breath  is  ;  and  will  ye  put  us  to 
death  for  obepng  the  Lord,  the  God  of  the  whole  earth  ? 
Well,  if  ye  do  this  act,  and  put  \ai^  to  death,  know  this,  and 
be  it  known  unto  you  all,  ye  rulers  and  people,  w  ithin  this 
jurisdiction,  that  whosoe^^er  hath  a  hand  therein,  w^ill  be 
guilty  of  innocent  blood  :  and  not  only  upon  yourselves, 
will  ye  bring  innocent  blood,  but  upon  the  town,  and  the 
inhabitants  thereof,  and  every  where  within  this  jurisdic- 
tion, that  had  the  least  hand  therein.  Therefore  be  in- 
structed, ye  rulers  of  this  land,  and  take  warning  betimes, 
and  learn  wisdom,  before  it  be  hid  from  your  eyes. 

"  Written  in  the  common  gaol,  the  i9th  of  the  eighth 
month,  1659,  in  Boston,  by  one  who  feareth  the  Lord, 
who  is  by  ignorant  people  called  a  Quaker,  and  unto  such 
am  I  only  known  by  the  name  of  William  Robinson,  yet  a 
new  name  have  I  received,  which  such  know  not/' 


548  PERSECUTIONS    IN 

Robinson  desiring  again  that  the  paper  might  be  read, 
that  so  all  that  were  present  might  hear  it,  it  was  de- 
nied him,  and  Endicot  said,  '  W.  Robinson,  hearken 
to  your  sentence  of  death  ;  you  shall  be  had  back  to  the 
place  from  whence  you  came,  and  from  thence  to  the 
place  of  execution,  to  be  hanged  on  the  gallows  till  you 
are  dead.'  This  sentence  was  not  altogether  unexpected 
by  W.  Robinson  ;  for  it  was  four  months  now  that  he  had 
believed  that  this  would  be  his  fate. 

Robinson  being  taken  away,  M.  Stevenson  was  called, 
and  Endicot  said  to  him,  *  If  you  have  any  thing  to  say, 
you  may  speak. ^  He  knowing  how  they  dealt  with  his 
companion,  was  silent,  though  he  had  also  written  in  pris- 
on a  paper,  containing  the  cause  of  his  being  come  there; 
but  he  kept  it  with  him,  and  found  afterwards  occasion 
to  deliver  it  to  somebf^dy.  Then  Endicot  pronounced 
sentence  of  dtati^  against  him,  saying,  '  M.  Stevenson, 
you  shUl  be  had  to  the  p'ace  from  whence  you  came,  and 
from  dience  to  the  gallows,  and  there  to  be  hanged  till 
you  are  dead.' 

After  this,  he  was  taken  aw^ay,  and  Mary  Dyar  was 
called  :  to  whom  Endicot  spoke  thus :  *  Mary  Dyar,  you 
shall  goto  the  place  from  whence  you  came,  (to  wit  the 
prison)  and  from  thence  to  the  place  of  execution,  and  be 
hanged  there  until  vou  are  dead.'  To  which  she  replied, 
'  The  will  of  God  be  done.'  Then  Endicot  said,  '  Take 
her  away,  marshal.'  To'^hich  she  returned.  *  Yea,  joy- 
fully I  go.'  And  in  her  going  to  the  prison,  she  often 
uttered  speeches  of  praise  to  the  Lord  ;  and,  being  full 
of  joy,  she  said  to  the  marshal,  he  might  let  her  alone, 
for  she  w^oujd  go  to  the  prison  without  him.  To  which 
he  answered,  *  I  believe  you,  Mrs.  Dyar  ;  but  I  must  do 
what  I  am  commanded.'  Thus  she  was  led  to  prison, 
where  she  was  kept  a  week,  with  the  two  other  her  com- 
panions, that  were  also  condemned  to  die. 

The  paper  of  Marmaduke  Stevenson,  mentioned  be- 
fore, which  he  gave  forth  after  he  had  received  sentence 
of  death,  was  thus  : 

''  In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1655,  I  was  at  the 
plough,  in  the  east  part  of  Yorkshire,   in  Old  England, 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AjJ»    AMERICA.  549 

near  the  place  where  my  outward  being  was,  and  as  I 
walked  after  the  plough,  I  was  filled  with  the  love  and 
presence  of  the  living  God,  which  did  ravish  my  heart 
when  I  felt  it  ;  for  it  did  increase  and  abound  in  me  like 
a  living  stream,  so  did  the  love  and  life  of  God  run  through 
me  like  precious  ointment,  giving  a  pleasant  smell,  which 
made  me  to  stand  still  ;  and  as  I  stood  a  little  still,  with 
my  heart  and  mind  stayed  on  the  Lord,  the  word  of  the 
Lord  came  to  me  in  a  still  small  voice,  which  I  did  hear 
perfectly,  saying  to  me,  in  the  secret  of  my  heart  and  con- 
science, '  I  have  ordained  thee  a  prophet  unto  the  nations.' 
And  at  the  hearing  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  I  was  put 
to  a  stand,  being  that  I  was  but  a  child  for  such  a  weighty 
matter.  So  at  the  time  appointed,  Barbadoes  was  set 
before  me,  untq  which  I  was  required  of  the  Lord  to  go, 
and  leave  my  dear  and  loving  wife,  and  tender  children  : 
for  the  Lord  said  unto  me  immcu*<^tely  by  his  spirit,  that 
he  would  be  as  a  husband  to  my  \\^ifc,  and  as  a  father  to 
my  children,  and  they  should  not  want  in  my  absence, 
for  he  would  provide  for  thejn  when  I  was  gone.  And  I 
believed  that  the  Lord  would  perform  what  he  had  spoken, 
because  I  was  made  willing  to  give  up  myself  to  his  work 
and  service,  to  leave  all  and  follow  him,  whose  presence 
and  life  is  with  me,  where  I  rest  in  peace  and  quietness 
of  spirit  (with  my  dear  brother)  under  the  shadow  of  his 
wings,  who  hath  made  us  willing  to  lay  down  our  lives 
for  his  own  name  sake,  if  unmerciful  men  be  suffered  to 
take  them  from  us  ;  and  if  they  do,  we  know  we  shall 
have  peace  and  rest  with  the  Lord  for  ever  in  his  holy 
habitation,  when  they  shall  have  torment  night  and  day. 
So,  in  obedience  to  the  living  God,  I  made  preparation 
to  pass  to  Barbadoes,  in  the  fourth  month,  1658.  So, 
after  I  had  been  some  time  on  the  said  island  in  the  ser- 
vice of  God,  I  l>eard  that  New  England  liad  made  a  law 
to  put  the  servants  of  the  living  God  to  death,  if  they  re- 
turned after  they  were  sentenced  away,  which  did  come 
near  me  at  that  time  ;  and  as  I  considered  the  thing,  and 
pondered  it  in  my  heart,  immediately  came  the  word 
of  die  Lord  unto  me,  saying,  "  Thou  knowest  not  but  that 
thou   mayest  go  thither."  But  I  kept  this  word  in  my 


550  PERSECUTION    IN' 

heart,  and  did  not  declare  it  to  any  until  the  time  appointed. 
So  after  that,  a  vessel  was  made  ready  for  Rhode  Island, 
which  I  passed  in.  So,  after  a  little  time  that  I  had  been 
there,  visiting  the  seed  which  the  Lord  hath  blessed,  the 
word  of  tl>e  Lord  came  unto  me,  saying,  *'  go  to  Boston 
with  thy  brother  William  Robinson."  And  at  his  com- 
iiiand  I  v/as  obedient,  and  gave  up  myself  to  do  his  will, 
that  so  his  work  and  service  may  be  accomplished  :  for 
he  hath  said  unto  me,  that  he  hath  a  great  work  for  me  to 
do  ;  which  is  now  come  to  pass  :  and  for  yielding  obe- 
dience to,  and  obeying  the  voice  and  command  of  the 
everliving  God,  who  created  heaven  and  earth,  and  the 
fountains  of  waters,  do  I,  with  my  dear  brother,  suffer 
outward  bends  near  unto  death.  And  this  is  given  forth 
to  be  upon  record  that  all  people  may  know,  who  hear 
it,  that  we  came  not  in  our  own  wills,  but  in  the  will  of 
God.  Given  forth  by'iiie  who  am  known  to  men  by  the 
name  of 

^  Marmaduke  Stevenson, 

"  But  have  a  new  name. given  me,    which  the  world 
knows  not  of,  written  in  the  Book  of  Life. 

"  Written  in  Boston  prison,  in  the  8th  month,  1659." 


Mary  Dyar  being  returned  to  prison,  wrote  the  follov»:* 
ing  letter,  which  she  sent  to  the  rulers  of  Boston. 

To  the  General  Court  in  Boston, 

''  Whereas,  I  am  by  many  charged  with  the  guiltiness 
of  my  own  blood ;  if  you  mean,  in  my  coming  to  Bds- 
ton,  I  am  therein  clear,  and  justified  by  the  Lord,  in 
whose  will  I  came,  who  will  require  my  blood  of  you, 
be  sure,  who  have  made  a  law  to  take  away  the  lives  of 
the  innocent  servants  of  God,  if  they  come  among  you, 
who  are  called  by  you,  cursed  quakers;  although  I  say, 
and  am  a  liviiig  w^itness  for  them  and  the  Lord,  that  he 
hath  blessed  them,  and  sent  them  unto  you ;  therefore 
be  not  found  figlitcrs  against  God,  but  let  my  counsel  and 
request  be  accepted  with  you,  to  repeal  all  such  lav/s, that 


GREAT-BRITAIN    A27D    AMERICA.  551 

truth,  and  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  may  have  free  passage 
among  you  ;  and  you  be  kept  from  shedding  innocent 
blood,  whieh  I  know  there  are  many  among  you  would 
not  do,  if  they  knew  it  so  to  be  ;  nor  can  the  enemy  that 
stirreth  you  up,  thus  to  destroy  his  holy  seed,  in  any  mea- 
sure countervail  the  great  damage  that  you  will,  by  thus 
doing,  procure.  Therefore,  seeing  the  Lord  hath  not 
hid  it  from  me,  it  lieth  upon  me,  in  love  to  your  souls, 
thus  to  persuade  you.  I  have  no  self-ends  the  Lord 
kno\\'cth ;  for  if  my  life  were  freely  granted  by  you,  it 
would  not  avail  me,  nor  could  I  expect  it  of  you,  so  long 
as  I  should  daily  hear  or  see  the  sufferings  of  these  peo- 
ple, my  dear  brethren,  and  the  seed,  widi  whom  my  life 
is  bound  up  ;  as  I  have  done  these  two  years,  and  now  it 
is  like  to  increase,  even  unto  death,  for  no  evil  doing,  but 
coming  among  you.  Was  ever  the  like  laws  heard  of 
among  a  people  that  profess  Christ  come  in  the  flesh  ? 
And  have  such  no  other  weapons  but  such  laws  to  fight 
against  spiritual  wickedness  withal,  as  you  call  it  ?  Wo 
is  me  for  you  !  Of  whom  take  ye  counsel  ?  Search  with 
the  light  of  Christ  in  you,  and  it  will  shew  you  of  whom, 
as  it  hath  done  me  and  many  more,  who  have  been  diso- 
bedient and  deceived,  as  now  ye  are  :  which  light,  as  you 
come  into,  and  obeying  what  is  made  manifest  to  you 
therein,  you  will  not  repent  that  you  were  kept  from  shcd^ 
ding  blood,  though  it  were  by  a  woman.  It  is  not  mine 
own  life  I  seek  (for  I  choose  rather  to  suffer  with  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  Egypt)  l)ut  the 
life  of  the  seed,  which  I  know  the  Lord  hath  blessed, 
and  therefore  seeks  the  enemy  thus  vehemently  to  de- 
stroy the  life  thereof,  as  in  all  ages  he  ever  did.  O  bark- 
en not  unto  him,  I  beseech  you,  for  the  seed's  sake, 
which  is  one  in  all,  and  is  dear  in  the  sight  of  God,  which 
they  that  touch,  touch  the  apple  of  his  eye,  and  cannot 
escape  his  wrath  ;  whereof  I  liaving  felt,  cannot  but  per- 
suade all  men  that  I  have  to  do  withal,  especially  you 
who  name  the  name  of  Christ,  to  depart  from  such  ini- 
<[uity  as  shedding  blood,  even  of  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High.  Therefore,  let  my  request  have  as  much  accept- 
•^nce  ^\-ith  you,  if  ve  be  christians,  as  Esther's  had  with 


.^52  PERSECtTxrOl^S    IN 

Ahasuerus,  whose  relation  is  short  of  that  that  is  be^ 
tween  christians  ;  and  my  request  is  tiie  same  that  her's 
was :  and  he  said  not  that  he  had  made  a  law,  and  that 
it  would  be  dishonourable  for  him  to  revoke  it ;  but 
when  he  understood  that  those  people  were  so  prized  by 
her,  and  so  nearly  concerned  her,  as  in  truth  these  are  to 
me,  you  may  see  what  he  did  for  her.  Therefore,  I 
leave  these  lines  with  you,  appealing  to  the  fiiithful  and 
true  witness  of  God,  which  is  one  in  all  consciences,  be- 
fore whom  we  must  all  appear ;  with  whom  I  shall  eter- 
nally rest,  in  everlasting  joy  and  peace,  whether  you  will 
hear  or  forbear.  With  him  is  my  reward,  with  whom  to 
live  is  my  joy,  and  to  die  is  my  gain,  though  I  had  not 
your  forty-eight  hours  warning,  for  the  preparation  of 
the  death  of  Mary  Dyar. 

*  And  know  tliis  also,  that  if  through  the  enmity  you 
shall  declare  yourselves  worse  than  Ahasuerus,  and  con- 
firm your  law,  though  it  were  but  by  taking  away  the  life 
of  one  of  us,  that  the  Lord  will  overthrow  both  your  law 
and  you,  by  his  righteous  judgments  and  plagues  poured 
justly  upon  you,  who  now  whilst  ye  are  warned  thereof, 
and  tenderly  sought  unto,  may  avoid  the  one,  by  remov- 
ing the  other.  If  you  neither  hear,  nor  obey  the  Lord  nor 
his  servants,  yet  will  he  send  more  of  his  servants  among 
you,  so  that  your  end  shall  be  frustrated,  that  think  to 
restrain  them  ye  call  cursed  Quakers,  from  coming 
among  you  by  any  thing  you  can  do  to  them.  Yea,  verily, 
he  hath  a  seed  here  among  you,  for  whom  we  have  suf- 
fered all  this  while,  and  yet  suffer  ;  whom  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest  will  send  forth  more  labourers  to  gather,  out 
of  the  mouths  of  the  devourers  of  all  sorts,  into  his  fold, 
where  he  will  lead  them  into  fresh  pastures,  even  the  paths 
of  righteousness,  for  his  name's  sake.  Oh,  let  none  of 
you  put  this  good  day  far  from  you,  which  verily  in  the 
light  of  the  Lord  I  see  approaching,  even  to  many  in  and 
about  Boston,  which  is  the  bitterest  and  darkest  profes- 
sing place,  and  likely  so  to  continue  so  long  as  you  do  as 
you  have  done,  that  ever  I  heard  of.  Let  the  time  past 
therefore  suffice,  for  such  a  profession  as  brings  forth  such 
fruits  as  these   laws  are.     In  love  and  in  the  spirit  of 


GREAT-BRITAIN    ANX)    AiiERICA,  553 

meekness  I  again  beseech  you,  for  I  have  no  enmity  to 
the  persons  oi'any  ;  but  you  shall  know,  that  God  will  not 
be  mocked  ;  but  what  ye  sow,  that  shall  ye  reap  from 
liim  that  will  render  to  every  one  according  to  the 
deeds  done  in  the  body,  whether  good  or  evil.  Even  so 
belt,  saith  *  Mary  Dyar.' 

A  copy  of  this  was  given  to  the  general  court  after 
Mary  Dyar  had  received  the  sentence  of  deatii,  about  tlie 
8th  or  9th  month,  1659. 

The  day  appointed  to  execute  the  bloody  sentence  was 
the  27th  of  Oct.  when,  in  the  afternoon,  the  condemn- 
ed prisoners  were  led  to  the  gallows,  by  the  marshal 
Michaelson,  and  captain  James  Oliver,  with  a  band  of 
about  two- hundred  armed  men,  besides  many  horsemen; 
as  if  they  were  afraid  that  some  of  the  people  would  have- 
rescuedthe  prisoners:  and  that  no  actors  on  the  stage  might 
be  wanting,  the  priest  Wilson  joined  the  company,  and 
when  the  court  deliberated  how  to  deal  with  the  Quakers, 
said,  *  hang  them,  or  else,'  (drawing  his  finger  athwart 
his  throat)  as  if  he  would  have  said,  '  dispatch  them  this 
way.'  Now  the  march  began,  and  a  drummer  going  next 
before  the  condemned,  the  drums  were  beaten,  especially 
when  any  of  them  attempted  to  speak.  Glorious  signs 
of  heavenly  joy  and  gladness  were  beheld  in  the  counte- 
nances of  these  three  persons,  who  walked  hand  in  hand, 
Mary  being  the  middlemost ;  which  made  the  marshal 
say  to  her,  who  was  pretty  aged,  and  stricken  in  years^ 
'  are  not  you  ashamed  to  walk  thus  hand  in  hand  between 
two  young  men  ?'  '  No',  replied  she,  '  this  is  to  me  an 
hour  of  the  greatest  joy  I  could  enjoy  in  this  world.  No 
eye  can  see,  nor  ear  can  hear,  no  tongue  can  utter,  and  no 
heart  can  understand,  the  sweet  incomes,  or  influence, 
and  the  refreshings  of  the  spirit  of  the  Lord,  which  now 
I  feel.'  Thus  going  along,  W.  Robinson  said,  '  this  is 
your  hour,  and  the  power  of  darkness.'  But  presently 
the  drums  were  beaten  ;  yet  shortly  after,  the  drummers 
leaving  oft'  beating,  Marmaduke  Stevenson  said,  '  this  is 
the  day  of  your  visitation,  wherein  the  Lord  hatii  visited 
you.'     More  be  spoke,  but  could  not  be  understood,  by 

4  b 


554  PEHSECUTIONS    IN 

reason  of  the  drums  being  beaten  again.  Yet  they  went 
on  with  great  cheerfuhiess,  as  going  to  an  everlasting 
wedding  feast,  and  rejoicing  that  the  Lord  had  counted 
them  worthy  to  suffer  death  for  his  name's  sake. 

When  they  came  near  the  gallows,  they  took  leave  of 
each  other  with  tender  embraces,  and  Robinson  went 
cheerfully  up  the  ladder,  and  then  said  to  the  people,  'this 
is  the  day  of  your  visitation,  wherein  the  Lord  hath  vis- 
ited you  :  this  is  the  day  the  Lord  is  risen  in  his  mighty 
power,  to  be  avenged  on  all  his  adversaries.'  He  also  sig- 
nified that  he  suffered  not  as  an  evil  doer,  and  desired 
the  spectators,  to  mind  the  light  that  was  in  them  ;  to  wit, 
the  Light  of  Christ,  of  which  he  testified,  and  was  now 
going  to  seal  it  with  his  blood.  This  so  incensed  the  en^ 
vious  priest,  that  he  said,  *  hold  thy  tongue,  be  silent, 
thou  art  going  to  die  with  a  lie  in  thy  mouth.'  The  rope 
being  now  about  his  neck,  the  executioner  bound  his 
hands  and  legs,  and  tied  his  neckcloth  about  his  face  r 
which  being  done,  Robinson  said,  *  now  ye  are  made 
manifest ;'  and  the  executioner  being  about  turning  him 
off,  he  said,  '  I  suffer  for  Christ,  in  whom  I  hve,  and  for 
whom  I  die.'  He  being  turned  off,  Marmaduke  Steven- 
son stept  up  the  ladder,  and  said,  *  be  it  known  unto  all 
this  day,  that  we  suffer  not  as  evil  doers,  but  for  con- 
science sake.'  And  when  the  hangman  was  about  to  turn 
him  oft',  lie  said,  '  Tliis  day  shall  we  be  at  rest  with  the 
Lord :'  and  so  he  was  turned  off. 

Mary  D}  ar  seeing  her  companions  hanging  dead  before 
her,  also  stept  up  the  ladder  ;  but  after  her  coats  were 
tied  about  her  feet,  the  h-alter  put  about  her  neck,  and  her 
fece  covered  with  a  handkerchief,  which  the  priest  Wil- 
son lent  the  hangman,  just  as  she  was  to  be  turned  off,  a 
cry  was  heard,  '  stop,  for  she  is  reprieved.'  Her  feet  then 
being  loosed,  they  bade  her  come  down.  But  she,  whose 
mind  was  already  as  it  were  in  heaven,  stood  still,  and. 
said,  she  was  thtre  willing  to  suffer  as  her  brethren  did, 
unless  they  would  annul  their  wicked  law.  Little  heed 
was  given  to  wlat  she  said,  but  they  pulled  her  down, 
and  the  marshal  and  others  taking  her  by  the  arms^  car- 
ried her  to  prison  again.  That  she  thus  was  freed  of  the 


GREAT-BRITAIN    ANH    AMERICA.  555 

gallows  this  time,  was  at  the  intercession  of  lier  son,  to 
whom  it  seems  they  could  not  then  resolve  to  deny  that 
favour.  She  now  having  heard  why  she  was  reprieved, 
wrote  the  next  day,  being  the  28th  of  October,  the  follow- 
ing letter  to  the  court. 

The  28t/i  of  the  Sth  months  1 659. 

'  Once  more  to  the  general  court  assembled  in  Boston, 
speaks  Mary  Dyar,  even  as  before.  My  life  is  not  ac- 
cepted, neither  availeth  me,  in  comparison  of  the  lives 
and  liberty  of  the  truth  and  servants  of  the  living  God, 
for  which  in  the  bowels  of  love  and  meekness  I  sought 
you  ;  yet,  nevertheless,  with  wicked  hands  have  you  put 
two  of  them  to  death,  which  makes  me  to  feel,  that  the 
mercies  of  the  wicked  is  cruelty.  I  rather  choose  to 
die  than  to  live,  as  from  you,  as  guilty  of  their  inno- 
cent blood  :  therefore,  seemg  my  request  hindered,  I 
leave  you  to  the  righteous  judge,  and  searcher  of  all 
hearts,  who,  with  the  pure  measure  of  light  he  hath  given 
to  every  man  to  profit  withal,  will  in  his  due  time  let  you 
see  whose  servants  you  are,  and  of  whom  you  have  taken 
counsel,  which  I  desire  you  to  search  into  :  but  all  his 
counsel  hath  been  slighted,  and  you  would  none  of  his 
reproofs.  Read  your  portion,  Pro  v.  i.  24  to  o2.  For 
verily  the  night  cometh  on  you  apace,  wherein  no  man 
can  work,  in  which  you  shall  assuredly  fall  to  your  owji 
master.  In  obedience  to  the  Lord,  whom  I  serve  with 
my  spirit,  and  pity  to  your  souls,  which  you  neither  know 
nor  pity,  I  can  do  no  less  than  once  more  warn  you,  to 
put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  ;  and  kiss  the  son,  the 
light  in  you,  before  his  wrath  be  kindled  in  you  ;  for 
where  it  is,  nothing  without  you  can  help  or  deliver  you 
out  of  his  hand  at  all ;  and  if  these  t!,ings  be  not  so,  then 
say  tliere  hath  been  no  prophet  from  the  Lord  sent 
amongst  you  ;  though  we  be  nothing,  yet  it  is  his  plea- 
sure, by  things  that  are  not,  to  bring  to  nought  things 
that  arc. 

"  When  I  heard  your  last  order  read,  it  was  a  disturbance 
unto  me,  tliat  was  so  freely  oflering  up   »ny  life  to  him 


556  PERSECUTIONS    IN 

that  gave  it  me,  and  sent  me  hither  so  to  do,  which  obe- 
dience being  his  own  work,  he  gloriously  accompanied 
with  his  presence,  and  peace,  and  love  in  me,  in  ^vhich  I 
rested  from  my  labour,  till  by  your  order  and  the  people, 
I  was  so  far  disturbed,  that  I  could  not  retain  any  more 
of  the  words  thereof,  than  that  I  should  return  to  prison, 
and  there  remain  forty  and  eight  hours  ;  to  which  I  sub- 
mitted, finding  nothing  from  the  Lord  to  the  contrary, 
that  I  may  know  what  his  pleasure  and  counsel  is  con- 
cerning me,  on  whom  I  wait  therefore,  for  he  is  my  life, 
and  the  length  of  my  days  ;  and  as  I  said  before,  I  came 
at  his  command,  and  go  at  his  command. 

*Mary  Dyar.' 

The  magistrates  now  perceiving  that  the  putting  Will- 
iam Robinson  and  Marmaduke  Stevenson  to  death,  caus- 
ed great  discontent  among  the  people,  resolved  to  send 
away  Mary  Dyar,  thereby  to  calm  their  minds  a  little.  And 
so  she  was  put  on  horseback,  and  by  four  horsemen  con- 
veyed fifteen  miles  towards  Rhode-Island,  where  she  was 
left  with  a  horse  and  a  man,  to  be  conveyed  the  rest  of 
the  w^ay ;  which  she  soon  sent  back,  and  so  repaired  home. 
Mary  Dyar,  being  come  to  Rhode- Island,  went  from 
thence  to  Long-Island,  where  she  staid  the  most  part 
of  the  winter  :    and  then  coming  home  again,   she  was 
moved  to  return  to  the  bloody  town  of  Boston,   whither 
she  came  on  the  21st  of  the  third  month,  in  the  year  1660, 
and  on  the  31st  she  was  sent  for  by  the  general   court. 
Being  come,  the  governor  John  Endicot  said,  *  are  you 
the  same  Mary  Dyar  that  was  here  before  V     And  it 
seems  he  was  preparing  an  evasion  for  her,  there  having 
been  another  of  that  name  returned  from  Old  England. 
But  she  was  so  far  from  disguising,  that  she  answered  un- 
dauntedly, '  I  am  the  same  Mary  Dyar  that  was  here  the 
last  general  court.'    Then  Endicot  said,  *  you  will  own 
yourself  a  Quaker,  will  you  not  ?    To  which  Mary  Dyar 
said,  '  I  own  myself  reproachfully  called  so.'    Then  the 
jailor,  (who  would  also  say  something)  said,  'she  is  a  vag- 
abond.' And  Endicot  said,  the  sentence  was  passed  upon 
her  the  last  general  court,  and  now  likewise  ;    *  you  must 


GREAT-BRITAIN    ANI>    AMERICA.  557 

return  to  the  prison,  and  there  remain  till  to-morrow  at 
nine  o'clock  ;  then  from  thence  yon  must  go  to  the  gal- 
lows, and  there  to  be  hanged  till  you  are  dead.'  To 
which  Mary  Dyar  said,  '  this  is  no  more  than  what  thou 
saidst  before.'  And  Endicot  returned,  *  but  now  it  is  to 
be  executed  ;  therefore  prepare  yourself  to-morrow  at 
nine  o'clock.'  She  then  spoke  thus  :  *  I  came  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  will  of  God  the  last  general  court,  desiring 
you  to  repeal  your  unrighteous  laws  of  banishment  on 
pain  of  death,  and  that  same  is  my  work  now,  and  earnest 
request;  although  I  told  you,  that  if  you  refused  to  re- 
peal them,  the  Lord  would  send  others  of  his  servants  to 
witness  against  them.'  Hereupon  Endicot  asked  her, 
whether  she  was  a  prophetess  ?  And  s!ie  answered,  *  she 
spoke  the  words  that  the  Lord  spoke  in  her  ;  and  now  the 
thing  was  come  to  pass.'  And  beginning  to  speak  of  her 
call,  Endicot  cried,  '  away  with  her ;  away  with  her.' 
So  she  was  brought  to  the  prison  house  \vhere  she  was 
before,  and  kept  close  shut  up  until  the  next  day. 

About  the  appointed  time  the  marshal  Michaelson 
came,  and  called  her  to  come  hastily  ;  and  coming  into 
the  room  where  she  was,  she  desired  him  to  stay  a  little  ; 
and  speaking  mildly,  said,  she  should  be  ready  prescntlj'. 
But  he  being  of  a  rough  temper,  said  he  could  not  wait 
upon  her,  but  she  should  now  wait  upon  him.  One  Mar- 
garet Smithy  her  companion,  being  grieved  to  see  such 
hard-heartedness,  spoke  something  against  their  unjust 
laws  and  proceedings  :  to  Avhich  he  said,  '  you  shall  have 
your  share  of  the  same.'  Then  Mary  Dyar  v/as  brought 
forth,  and  with  a  band  of  soldiers  led  through  the  town, 
the  drums  being  beaten  before  and  behind  her,  and  so 
continued,  that  none  might  hear  her  speak  all  the  way  to 
the  place  of  execution,  which  was  about  a  mile.  With  this 
guard  she  came  to  the  gallows,  and  being  gone  up  the 
ladder,  some  said  to  her,  that  if  she  would  return,  she 
might  come  down  and  save  her  life.  To  which  she  re- 
plied, '  nay,  I  cannot,  for  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  the 
Lord  I  came,  and  in  hi.-i  will  I  abide  faithful  to  the  death.' 
Then  captain  John  Webb  said,  that  she  had  been  there 
before,  and  had  the  sentence  of  banishment  upon  pain  of 


558  PERSECUTIONS    IN 

death,  and  had  broken  the  law  in  coming  again  now ;  and 
therefore  was  guilty  of  her  own  blood.  To  which  she 
returned,  *  nay,  I  come  to  keep  blood- guiltiness  from 
you,  desiring  you  to  repeal  the  unrighteous  and  unjust 
law  of  banishment  upon  pain  of  death,  made  against  the 
innocent  servants  of  the  Lord  ;  therefore  my  blood  will 
be  required  at  your  hands,  who  wilfully  do  it :  but  for 
those  that  do  it  in  the  simplicity  of  their  hearts,  I  desire 
the  Lord  to  forgive  them.  I  came  to  do  the  will  of  my 
Father,  and  in  obedience  to  his  will,  I  stand  even  to 
death.  Then  priest  Wilson  said,    '  Mary  Dyar,  O  repent, 

0  repent,  and  be  not  so  deluded,  and  carried  away  by 
the  deceit  of  the  devil.'  To  this  Mary  Dyar  answered, 
«  Nay,  man,  I  am  not  now  to  repent.'  And  being  asked 
by  some,  whether  she  would  have  the  elders  pray  for 
her,  she  said,  '  I  know  never  an  elder  here.'  Being  fur-^ 
ther  asked  whether  she  would  have  any  of  the  people  to 
pray  for  her  ?  She  answered  she  desired  all  the  prayers 
of  the  people  of  God.  Thereupon  some  scoffingly  said, 
*  It  may  be  she  thinks  there  is  none  here.'  She  looking 
about,  said,  *  I  know  but  few  here.'  Then  they  spoke 
to  her  again,  that  one  of  the  elders  might  pray  for  her. 
To  which  she  replied,  *  Nay,  first  a  child,  then  a  young 
man,  then  a  strong  man,  before  an  elder  in  Christ  Jesus.' 
After  this  she  was  charged  with  somethi|ig  which  was  not 
understood  what  it  was,  but  she  seemed  to  hear  it  ;  for 
she  said,  '  it  is  false,  it  is  false  ;  I  never  spoke  those 
words.'  Then  one  mentioned  that  she  should  have  said 
she  had  been  in  paradise*    To  which  she  answered,  '  yea 

1  have  been  in  paradise  several  days.'  And  more  she 
spoke  of  eternal  happiness,  into  which  she  was  now  to 
enter.  In  this  well  disposed  condition  she  was  turned 
off,  and  died  a  martyr  of  Christ,  being  twice  led  to  death, 
which  the  first  time  she  expected  with  undaunted  cour- 
age, and  now  suffered  with  christian  fortitude. 

'  WiUiam  Leddra,  who  was  banished  from  Boston  on 
pain  of  death,  was  under  such  necessity  of  conscience, 
that  he  could  not  forbear  returning  thither;  where  he 
came  about  the  conclusion  of  the  foregoing  year ;  but  was 
soon  taken  prisoner^  and  being  fcistened  to  a  log  of  wood, 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.  559 

was  kept  night  and  day  locked  in  chains,  in  an  open  pri- 
son, during  a  very  cold  winter. 

On  the  9th  of  the  first  month  of  this  year,    he  was 
brought  into  the  court  of  Assistants,  with  his  chains  and 
log  at  Ixis  heels.     And  he  asking  the  gaoler,   when  he  in- 
tended to  take  oft*  the  irons  from  his  legs ;    the  gaoler 
roughly  answered,   *  when  thou  art   going  to  be  hanged.' 
W.  Leddra  then  being  brought  to  tlie  bar,  it  was  told  hin^ 
by  the  rulers,  speaking  of  their  law,  that  he  was  found, 
guilty,  and   that  he   was  to  die.     He    said,   '  what   evil 
have  I  done  ?'    The  answer  was,  his  own  confession  was  as 
good  as  a  thousand  witnesses.     He  asked,  what  that  was  ? 
To  which  they  answered,  that  he  owned  these  quakers 
that  were  put  to  death,  and  that  they  were  innocent,     Be^- 
sides  that,  he  would  not  put  off  his  hat  in  court,  and  tliat 
he  said  '  thee' and  'thou.'     Then  said  William  to  them, 
'  you  w^ill  put  me  to  death  for   speaking  English,  and  fcwf 
not  putting  off  my  clothes.'    To  this  major-general  Deni- 
son   returned,    *  a  man  may  speak  treason  in  English.' 
And  William  replied,    '  is  it  treason  to  say  thee  and  thou^ 
to  a  single  person'?'       But  none  answered  only  Simon 
Broadstreet,  one  of  the  court,  asked  him,   *  whether  he 
would  go  for  England  ?'      To   which  he  answered,    *  I 
have  no  business  there.'     Hereupon,  Broadstreet,  point- 
ing to  the  gallows,  said,   *  then  you  shall  go  that  way.' 
To  which  William  returned,  *  what !   will  ye  put  me  to 
death  for  breathing  in  the  air  in  your  jurisdiction  ?  and  for 
what  you  have  against  me,  I  appeal  to  the  laws  of  England 
for  my  trial ;  and  if  by  them  I  am  guilty,  I  refuse  not  to 
die.'     Of  this  no  notice  was  taken,  but  instead  thereof, 
they  endeavoured  to  persuade  him  to  recant  of  his  error 
(as  they  stiled  it)  and  to  conform  ;  to  which,  with  a  grave 
magnanimity  he    answered,    *  what !    to  join  with  such 
n:iurderers  as  you  are  ?  Then  let  every  man  that  meets  me 
say,  lo  !  this  is  the  man  tl^kat  hath  forsiiken  the  God  of  his 
salvation.' 

Whilst  the  trial  of  W.  Leddra  was  thus  going  on.  Wen- 
lock  Christison,  who  was  already  banished  upon  pain  of 
.death,  came  into  the  court.  This  struck  a  damp  upon 
tlieni,  insomuch  tlaat  for  some  space  of  time  there  was 


56K)  t»ERSECUTIONS    IN 

silence  in  the  court:  but  at  length  one  of  the  bloody 
council  cried,  *  here  is  another,  fetch  him  up  to  the  bar.' 
Which  the  marshal  performing,  the  sacretary  Rawson, 
said,  *  is  not  your  name  Wenlock  Christison  V  '  yea,' 
said  Wenlock.  *  Well,'  said  the  governor,  John  Endicot, 
'  what  dost  thou  here  ?  wast  thou  not  banished  upon  pain 
of  death?'  To  which  Wenlock  answered,  'yea,  I  was*' 
And  to  the  question,  '  what  dost  thou  here  then  ?'  He 
answered,  '  I  am  come  here  to  warn  you  that  you 
should  shed  no  more  innocent  blood ;  for  the  blood 
that  you  have  shed  already,  cries  to  the  Lord  God  for 
vengeance  to  come  upon  you.'  Whereupon  it  was  said, 
'  take  him  away  gaoler.' 

It  having  been  told  W.  Leddra,  at  the  last  general 
court  he  had  liberty  given  to  go  for  England,  or  to  go  out 
of  their  jurisdiction ;  and  that  promising  to  do  so,  and 
come  there  no  more,  he  might  save  his  life  ;  he  answered, 
*  I  stand  not  in  my  own  will,  but  in  the  will  of  the  Lord  : 
if  I  may  have  my  freedom,  I  shall  go,  but  to  make  you  a 
promise,  I  cannot.'  But  this  was  so  far  from  giving  con- 
sent, that  they  proceeded  to  pronounce  sentence  of  death 
against  him  ;  which  being  done,  he  was  led  from  the  court 
to  the  prison  again,  where  the  day  before  his  death  he  wrote 
the  following  letter  to  his  friends : 

"  Most  dear  and  inwardly  beloved  : 

*'  The  sweet  influences  of  the  morning  star,  like  a 
ftood  distilling  into  my  innocent  habitation,  hath  so  filled 
me  with  the  joy  of  the  Lord,  in  the  beauty  of  holiness,  that 
my  spirit  is  as  if  it  did  not  inhabit  a  tabernacle  of  clay,  but 
is  wholly  swallowed  up  in  the  bosom  of  eternity,  from 
w^hence  it  had  its  being. 

'•  Ala^,  cilas,  vvhat  can  the  wrath  and  spirit  of  man,  that 
lusteth  to  envy,  aggravated  by  the  heart  and  strength  of 
the  king  of  the.  locusts,  which  came  out  of  the  pit,  do  unto 
one  that  is  hid  in  the  secret  places  of  the  Almighty  ?  Or, 
unto  them  that  are  gathered  under  the  healing  wings  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace  ?  under  whose  armour  of  light  they  shall 
be  able  to  stand  in  the  day  of  trial,  having  on  the  breast- 
plate of  righteousness,  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.  561 

is  their  weapon  of  war  against  spiritual  weakness,  princi- 
palities, and  powers,  and  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this 
world,  both  withhi  and  without !  Oh,  my  beloved!  I  have 
w^aited  as  a  dove  at  the  windows  of  the  ark,  and  have  stood 
still  in  that  watch,  which  the  master  (without  whom  I 
could  do  nothing)  did,  at  his  coming,  reward  with  the  ful- 
ness of  his  love,  wherein  my  heart  did  rejoice,  that  I  might 
in  the  love  and  life  of  God,  speak  a  few  words  to  you,  seal- 
ed with  the  spirit  of  promise,  that  the  taste  thereof  might 
be  a  savour  of  life,  to  your  life,  and  a  testimony  in  you  of 
my  innocent  death  :  and  if  I  had  been  altogether  silent, 
and  the  Lord  had  not  opened  my  mouth  unto  you,  yet  he 
would  have  opened  your  hearts,  and  there  have  sealed  my 
innocency  with  the  streams  of  life,  by  which  we  are  all 
baptized  into  that  body  which  is  in  God ;  whom,  and  in 
whose  presence  there  is  life ;  in  which,  as  you  abide,  you 
stand  upon  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth  :  for,  the  life  be^ 
ing  the  truth  and  the  way,  go  not  one  step  without  it,  lest 
you  should  compass  a  mountain  in  the  \vilderness ;  for 
unto  every  thing  there  is  a  season. 

'*  As  the  flowing  of  the  ocean  doth  fill  every  creek  and 
branch  thereof,  and  then  retires  again  towards  its  own  be- 
ing and  fulness,  and  leaves  a  savour  behind  it,  so  doth  the 
life  and  virtue  of  God  flow  into  every  one  of  your  hearts, 
whom  he  hath  made  partakers  of  his  divine  natiu'e  ;  and 
W'hen  it  witlidraws  but  a  little,  it  leaves  a  sweet  savour  be- 
hind it,  that  many  can  say,  they  are  made  clean  through 
the  word  that  he  hath  spoken  to  them  :  in  which  innocent 
condition,  you  may  see  what  you  are  in  the  presence  of 
God,  and  what  you  are  without  him.  Therefoie,  my  dear 
hearts,  let  the  enjoyment  of  the  life  alone,  be  your  hope, 
your  joy  and  consolation,  and  let  the  man  of  God  flee  those 
things  that  would  lead  the  mind  out  of  the  cross,  for  then 
the  savour  of  the  life  will  be  buried  :  and  although  some 
may  speak  of  things  that  they  received  in  the  life,  as 
experiences,  yet  the  life  beh:g  veiled,  and  the  savour  that 
it  left  behind  washed  away  bv  the  fresh  floods  of  tempta- 
tion, the  condition  that  they  did  enjoy  in  the  life,  boasted 
of  by  the  airy  thing,  will  be  like  the  manna  Uuit  was  gath- 

4  c 


562  PERSECUTIONS    li^ 

ered  yesterday,  widiout  any  good  scent  or  savour.  For, 
it  was  only  well  with  the  man  while  he  was  in  the  life  of 
innocency  ;  but  being  driven  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  into  the  earth,  what  can  he  boast  of?  And  although 
you  know  these  things,  and  (many  of  you)  much  more 
than  I  can  say  ;  yet,  (for  the  love  and  zeal  I  bear  to  the 
truth  and  honour  of  God,  and  tender  desire  of  my  soul  to 
those  that  are  young,  that  they  may  read  me  in  that  from 
which  I  write,  to  strengthen  them  against  the  wiles  of  the 
subtil  serpent  that  beguiled  Eve)  I  say,  stand  in  the 
watch  within,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  which  is  the  very 
entrance  of  wisdom  ;  and  the  state  where  you  are  ready 
to  receive  the  secrets  of  the  Lord :  hunger  and  thirst  pa- 
tiently, be  not  weary,  neither  doubt.  Stand  still  and  cease 
from  thy  own  working,  and  in  due  time  thou  shalt  enter 
into  the  rest,  and  thy  eyes  shall  behold  thy  salvation,  whose 
testimonies  are  sure,  and  righteous  altogether :  let  them 
be  as  a  seal  upon  thine  arm,  and  as  jewels  about  thy 
neck,  tlrat  others  may  see  what  the  Lord  hath  done  for 
your  souls  ;  confess  him  before  men,  yea  before  his  great- 
est enemies ;  fear  not  ^\  hat  they  can  do  inito  you :  greater  is 
he  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world :  for  he  will 
clothe  you  with  humility,  and  in  the  power  of  his  meek- 
ness you  shall  reign  over  all  the  rage  of  your  enemies 
in  the  favour  of  God  ;  wherein  as  you  stand  in  faith,  ye 
are  the  salt  of  the  earth  ;  for  many  seeing  your  good  works, 
may  glorify  God  in  the  day  of  their  visitation. 

*'  Take  heed  of  receiving  that  which  you  saw  not  in  the 
light,  lest  you  give  ear  to  to  the  enemy.  Bring  all  things 
to  the  light,  that  they  may  be  proved,  whether  they  be 
wrought  in  God ;  tlite  love  of  the  world,  the  lust  of  the 
flesh,  a,nd  the  lust  of  the  eye,  are  without  the  light,  in  the^ 
world  ;  therefore,  possess  your  vessels  in  all  sanctification 
and  honour,  and  let  your  eye  look  at  the  mark :  he  that  hath 
called  you  is  holy  :  and  if  there  be  an  eye  that  offends^, 
pluck  it  out  and  cast  it  from  you  :  let  rot  a  temptation  take 
hold,  for  iFyou  do,  it  will  keep  fi'om  the  favour  of  God. 
and  that  will  be  a  si\d  state  ;  for,  without  grace  possessed, 
it  here  is  iio  assu^'ance  of  salvation ;  by  grace  you  are  saved ; 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.  563 

and  the  witnessing  of  it  is  sufficient  for  you,  to  which  I  re- 
commend  you  all,  my  dear  friends,  and  in  it  remain^ 

"  Your  brother, 

"William  Leddra. 
"Boston  Gaol,  the  13th  of  the  first  month,   1660-61.'* 

The  next  day  after  this  letter  was  written,  the  execu- 
tion of  W.  Leddra,  was  performed,  which  was  on  the 
14th  of  the  First  month.  After  the  lecture  was  ended, 
the  governor  John  Endicot  came  with  a  guard  of  soldiers 
to  the  prison,  where  W.  Leddra's  irons  were  taken  off, 
with  which  he  had  been  chained  to  a  log  both  night  and 
day  during  a  cold  winter  ;  and  now  they  were  knocked 
off,  according  to  what  the  jailor  once  said,  as  hath  been 
related  before.  William  then  having  taken  his  leave  of 
Wenlock  Christison,  and  others  then  in  bonds,  when 
called,  went  forth  to  the  slaughter,  incompassed  with 
a  guard  to  prevent  his  speaking  to  his  friends ;  which 
Edward  Wliarton,  an  inhabitant  of  Salem,  and  also  ban- 
ished on  pain  of  death,  seeing,  and  speaking  against,  one 
amongst  the  company  said,  '  O  Edward,  it  will  be  your 
turn  next  V  To  which  captain  Oliver  added,  *  if  you 
speak  a  word  I'll  stop  your  mouth.'  Then  W.  Leddra 
being  brought  to  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  was  pinioned, 
and  as  he  was  about  to  ascend  the  same,  he  took  leave 
of  his  friend  E.  Wharton,  to  whom  he  said,  '  all  that 
will  be  Christ's  disciples,  must  take  up  the  cross.'  He 
standing  upon  the  l?dder,  somebody  said,  '  William,  have 
you  any  thing  to  say  to  the  people  ?  Thereupon  he  spoke 
thus  :  *  For  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  and  for  testifying 
against  deceivers,  and  the  deceived,  I  am  brought  here 
to  suffer,'  This  took  so  much  with  the  people,  that  it 
wrought  a  tenderness  in  many.  But  to  quench  this,  priest 
Allen  said  to  the  spectators,  *  people,  I  would  not  have 
you  think  it  strange  to  see  a  man  so  willing  to  die  ;  for 
that's  no  new  thing.  And  you  may  read  lipw  the  apostle 
said,  that  some  should  be  given  up  to  strong  delusions, 
and  even  dare  to  die  for  it.'  But  he  did  not  say  where  the 
apostle  speaks  so,  neither  have  I  found  it  any  where  in 
holy  writ ;  though  I  know  that  Paul  saith,  Rom.  v.  7, 


584  PERSECUTIONS    IN 

^'  Peradventure  for  a  good  man  some  would  even  dare  to 
die."  But  it  seems  it  was  sufficient  for  Allen,  if  he  could 
but  render  Leddra  odious ;  who  however  continued 
cheerful :  for  as  the  executioner  was  putting  the  halter 
about  his  neck,  he  was  heard  to  say,  '  I  commit  my 
righteous  cause  unto  thee,  O  God.'  The  executioner 
then  being  charged  to  make  haste,  W.  Leddra,  at  the 
turning  off  the  ladder,  cried,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my 
spirit ;"  and  so  he  was  turned  off,  and  finished  his  days. 
The  hangman  cut  down  the  dead  body,  and  lest  it  should 
be  as  barbarously  used  as  those  of  William  Robinson  and 
Marmaduke  Stevenson  (which  none  holding  when  cut 
down,  fell  to  the  ground  to  the  breaking  of  W.  Robin- 
son's skull)  Edward  Wharton,  John  Chamberlain,  and 
others,  caught  the  body  in  their  arms,  and  laid  it  on  the 
ground,  till  the  hangman  had  stript  it  of  its  clothes  ;  who 
having  done  so,  said,  that  he  was  a  comely  man,  as  in- 
deed he  was.  The  bod}^  being  stript,  William's  friend  took 
it,  laid  it  in  a  coffin,  and  buried  it.  For  forther  confir- 
mation of  what  hath  been  related,  the  following  letter  of 
one  of  the  spectators,  that  was  there  accidentally,  may 
be  added  ; 

''Boston,  March,  26,  166L 
"  On  the  14th  of  this  instant,  here  was  one  William 
Leddra,  which  was  put  to  death.  The  people  of  the  town 
told  me,  he  might  go  away  if  he  would  :  but  when  I  made 
ftirther  inquiry,  I  heard  the  marshal  say,  that  he  was 
chained  in  prison,  from  the  time  he  was  condemned,  to 
the  day  of  his  execution.  I  am  not  of  his  opinion  :  but 
yet  truly  me  thought  the  Lord  did  mightily  appear  in 
the  man.  I  went  to  one  of  the  magistrates  at  Cambridge, 
who  had  been  of  the  jury  that  condemned  him,  (as  he 
told  me  himself)  and  I  asked  him  by  what  rule  he  did  it? 
He  answered,  that  he  was  a  rogue,  a  very  rogue.  But  what 
is  this  to  the  question,  (I  said)  where  is  your  rule  ;  he  said, 
he  had  abused  authority.  Then  I  goes  after  the  man,  and 
asked  him,  whether  he  did  not  look  on  it  as  a  breach  of 
rule  to  slight  and  undervalue  authority  ?  And  I  said  that 
Paul  gave  Festus  the  title  of  honor,  though  he  was  a 
heathen.    (I  do  not  say  these  magistrates  are  heathens), 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.  565 

I  said  then.  When  the  man  was  on  the  ladder,  he  looked 
on  me,  and  called  me  friend,  and  said,  know,  that  this 
day  I  am  willing  to  offer  up  my  life  ior  the  witness  of 
Jesus.  Then  I  desired  leave  of  the  officers  to  speak,  and 
said,  Gentlemen  I  am  a  stranger  both  to  your  persons  and 
country,  and  yet  a  friend  to  both  :  and  I  cried  aloud, 
for  the  Lord's  sake,  take  not  away  the  man's  life  ;  but 
remember  Gamaliel's  counsel  to  the  jews.  If  this  be 
of  man,  it  will  come  to  nought,  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye 
cannot  overthrow  it :  but  be  careful  ye  be  not  found 
fighters  against  God.  And  the  captain  said,  *  why  had 
you  not  come  to  the  prison?'  The  reason  was,  because 
I  heard  the  man  might  go  if  he  would ;  and  therefore  I 
called  him  down  from  the  tree,  and  said,  '  come  down 
William,  you  may  go  away  if  you  will.'  Then  captain 
Oliver  said,  '  it  was  no  such  matter ;'  and  asked  what  I 
had  to  do  with  it  ?  and  besides,  bade  me  begone  : 
and  I  told  him  I  was  willing ;  for  I  cannot  endure  to  see 
this,  I  said.  And  when  I  was  in  the  town,  some  did 
seem  to  sympadiize  with  mc  in  my  grief.  But  I  told 
them,  that  they  had  no  warrant  from  the  word  of  God, 
nor  precedent  from  our  country,  nor  power  from  his 
majesty,  to  hang  the  man.     I  rest, 

*'  Your  friend, 

*' Thomas  Wilkie." 
'*  To  Mr.  George  Lad,  master  of  the  America, 
of  Dartmouth,  now  at  Barbadoes." 

William  Leddra  being  thus  dispatched,  it  was  resolv- 
ed to  make  an  end  also  of  Wenlock  Christison.  He 
therefore  was  brought  from  the  prison  to  the  court  at 
Boston,  where  the  governor  John  Endicot,  and  the  de- 
puty governor  Richard  Billingliam,  being  both  present, 
it  was  told  him,  *  unless  you  renounce  your  religion,  you 
shall  surely  die.'  But  instead  of  shrinking,  he  said, 
with  an  undaunted  courage,  '  nay,  I  shall  not  change  my 
religion,  nor  seek  to  save  my  life  ;  neither  do  I  intend 
to  deny  my  master ;  but  if  I  lose  my  life  for  Christ's 
sake,  and  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  I  shall  save  my 
life.'     This  noble  resolution   gave   such  a  check  to  li^s 


556  PERSECUTIONS    IN 

persecutors,  that  they  did  not  then  go  on  with  the  trial, 
but  sent  him  away  to  prison  again.  And  it  being  said  by 
somebody,  that  William  Leddra  was  dead,  a  certain  per^ 
son  said  to  Wenlock,  '  O  thy  turn  is  next.'  To  which  he 
gravely  replied,  '  the  will  of  the  Lord  be  done,'  shewing 
thereby  his  entire  resignation. 

Being  now  locked  up  again  in  prison,  he  was  kept  there 
till  about  the  fourth  month  :  but  then  the  court  being  set, 
a  spirit  of  confusion  appeared  there,  and  a  division  among 
several  of  the  members ;  for  though  the  greatest  part  were 
for  taking  the  same  course  with  him,  as  with  those  that 
were  already  put  to  death,  yet  several  would  not  consent 
to  it.  And  as  natural  occurrences  sometimes  cause  reflec- 
tions among  observing  people,  so  it  happened  here ;  for 
during  their  deliberations  how  to  deal  with  Wenlock 
Christison,  which  lasted  for  the  space  of  two  weeks,  the 
sun  in  the  firmament  shown  not,  a  thing  at  that  season 
somewhat  extraordinary;  which  gave  occasion  for  some  to 
say,  that  the  sun  abhorring  this  bloody  business,  hid  itself 
from  them.  But  after  many  debates,  the  sanguinary 
council  at  length  agreed,  and  Wenlock  was  brought  to  the 
bar,  where  the  governor,  John  Endicot,  asked  him  what  he 
had  to  say  for  himself,  why  he  should  not  die  ?  He  an- 
swered, '  I  have  done  nothing  worthy  of  death  ;  if  I  had,  I 
refuse  not  to  die.'  To  this  another  said,  '  thou  art  come 
among  us  in  rebellion,  which  is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft, 
and  ought  to  be  punished.'  Hence  it  appears,  how  per- 
versely these  blood-thirsty  persecutors  applied  the  holy 
scriptures  to  their  cruel  ends,  and  so  made  a  wrong  use  of 
the  prophet  Samuel's  words  to  Saul ;  to  which  false  con- 
elusion  Wenlock  answered,  *  I  came  not  among  you  in 
rebellion,  but  in  obedience  to  the  God  of  heaven,  not  in 
contempt  of  any  of  you,  but  in  love  to  your  souls  and  bod- 
ies ;  and  that  you  shall  know  one  day,  when  you  and  all 
men  must  give  an  account  of  the  deeds  done  in  the  body. 
Take  heed  (thus  he  went  on)  for  you  cannot  escape  the 
righteous  judgments  of  God.'  Then  said  major-general 
Adderton,  '  you  pronounce  woes  and  judgments,  and  those 
that  are  gone  before  you  pronounced  woes  and  judgments; 
but  the  judgments  of  the  Lord  God  are  not  come  upon  us 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.  567 

as  yet.'  So  insolent  and  hardhearted  may  man  become, 
as  not  to  stick  even  to  defy  the  Most  High.  Adderton, 
received  this  ans^ver  from  Wenlock :  '  Be  not  proud, 
neither  let  your  spirits  be  lifted  up  ;  God  doth  but  wait 
till  the  measure  of  your  iniquity  be  filled  up,  and  that  you 
have  run  your  ungodly  race  ;  then  will  the  wrath  of  God 
come  upon  you  to  the  utmost.  And  as  for  thy  part,  it 
hangs  over  thy  head,  and  is  near  to  be  poured  down  upon 
tlice,  and  shall  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night,  suddenl)^, 
when  tliou  thinkest  not  of  it.' 

Then  Wenlock  asked,  '  by  what  law  will  ye  put  me  to 
death  ?'  The  answer  was,  '  we  have  a  law,  and  by  our 
law  you  are  to  die.'  '  So  said  the  jews  of  Christ  (replied 
Wenlock)  we  have  a  law,  and  by  our  law  he  ought  to  die. 
Who  empowered  you  to  make  that  law  ?'  To  which 
one  of  the  board  answered,  *  w^e  have  a  patent,  and  are  the 
patentees;  judge  whether  we  have  not  power  to  make 
laws.'  Hereupon  Wenlock  asked  again,  'how,  have  you 
power  to  make  la'ws  repugnant  to  the  laws  of  England  ?' 
'  No,'  said  the  governor.  '  Then  (replied  Wenlock)  you 
are  gone  beyond  your  bounds,  and  have  forfeited  your 
patent :  and  that  is  more  than  you  can  answer.  Are  you 
(asked  he)  subjects  to  the  king,  yea,  or  nay  V  '  What 
good  will  that  do  you  T  replied  the  secretary.  *  If  you 
are  (answered  Wenlock)  say  so  ;  for  in  your  petition  to 
the  king,  you  desire  that  he  would  protect  you,  and  that 
you  may  be  worthy  to  kneel  among  his  loyal  subjects.' 
To  which  one  said,  '  yea,  we  are  so.'  *  Well  (said  Wen- 
lock) so  am  I,  and  for  any  thing  I  know,  am  as  good  as 
you,  if  not  better ;  for  if  the  king  did  but  know  your 
hearts  as  God  knows  them,  he  would  see  that  they  are 
as  rotten  towards  him,  as  they  are  towards  God.  There- 
fore seeing  that  you  and  I  are  subjects  to  the  king,  I  de- 
mand to  be  tried  by  the  laws  of  my  own  nation.'  It  was 
answered,  *you  shall  be  tried  by  a  bench  and  a  jury  :'  for 
it  seems  they  began  to  be  afraid  to  go  on  in  the  former 
course  of  trial,  without  a  jury,  this  being  contrary  to  the 
laws  of  England.  But  Wenlock  said,  '  that  is  not  the 
law,  but  the  mauner  of  it :  for  1  never  heard  nor  read  of 


568  PERSECUTIONS    IN 

any  lav/  that  was  in  England  to  hang  quakers.'  To  this 
the  governor  replied,  '  that  there  was  a  law  to  hang  Jesu- 
its.' To  which  Wenlock  returned,  '  if  you  put  me  to 
death,  it  is  not  because  I  go  under  the  name  of  a  Jesuit, 
but  of  a  quaker  :  therefore  I  appeal  to  the  laws  of  my  own 
nation.'  But  instead  of  taking  notice  of  this,  one  said,  that 
he  was  in  their  hands,  and  had  broken  their  law,  and  ihey 
would  try  him.  Wenlock  still  appealed  to  the  laws  of  his 
own  nation  :  yet  the  jury  being  called  over,  went  out,  but 
quickly  returned,  and  brought  him  in  guilty.  Where- 
upon the  secretary  said,  '  Wemock  Christison,  hold  up 
your  right  hand.'  '  I  will  not,  said  Wenlock,  I  am  here 
and  can  hear  thee.'  Then  the  secretary  cried,  '  Guilty  or 
not  guilty  ?''  '  I  deny  all  guilt,  replied  Wenlock,  for  my 
conscience  is  clear  in  the  sight  of  God.'  But  the  govern- 
or said,  '  the  jury  hath  condemned  thee.'  Wenlock  an- 
swered, '  the  Lord  doth  justify  me ;  who  art  thou  that 
condermiest  V 

They  then  voted  as  to  the  sentence  of  death,  but  were 
in  a  manner  confounded,  for  several  could  not  vote  him 
guilty  of  death.  The  governor  seeing  this  division,  said, 
'  I  could  find  in  my  heart  to  go  home  :'  being  in  such  a 
rage,  that  he  flung  something  furiously  on  the  table ; 
which  made  Wenlock  cry,  *  it  were  better  for  thee  to  be 
at  home  than  here,  for  thou  art  about  a  bloody  piece  of 
work.'  Then  the  governor  put  the  court  to  vote  again  ; 
but  this  was  done  confusedly,  which  so  incensed  the  gov- 
ernor, that  he  stood  up  and  said,  '  you  that  will  not  con- 
sent, record  it :  I  thank  God  I  am  not  afraid  to  give  judg- 
ment.' Thus  we  see  that  to  be  drunk  with  blood,  doth 
not  cjuench  the  thirst  after  blood  ;  for  Endicot,  the  gov- 
ernor, seeing  others  backward  to  vote,  precipitately  pro- 
nounced judgment  himself,  and  said,  'Wenlock  Christi- 
son, harken  to  your  sentence  :  a^ou  must  retin^n  to  the 
place  from  whence  you  came,  and  from  thence  to  the  place 
of  execution,  and  there  you  must  be  hanged  until  you  are 
dead,  dead,  dead.'  To  which  Wenlock  said,  '  the  will  of 
the  Lord  be  done,  in  \vhose  will  I  came  amongst  you,  and 
and  in  whose  counsel  I  stand,  feeling  his  eternal  power, 
that  will  uphold  me  unto  the  last  gasp.'     Moreover  he 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.  569 

cried  thus :  *  known  be  it  unto  you  all,  that  if  ye  have 
power  to  take  my  life  from  me,  my  soul  shall  enter  into 
everlasting  rest,  and  peace  with  God,  where  you  your- 
selves  shall  never  come.  And  if  ye  have  power  to  take 
my  life  from  me,  the  which  I  do  question,  I  do  believe  you 
shall  never  more  take  quakers'  lives  from  them :  note  my 
words ;  do  not  think  to  weary  out  the  living  God,  by  tak- 
ing away  the  lives  of  his  servants.  What  do  you  gain  by  it? 
For  the  last  man  that  you  have  put  to  death,  here  are  live 
come  in  his  room.  And  if  ye  have  power  to  take  my  life 
from  me,  God  can  raise  up  the  same  principle  of  life,  in  ten 
of  his  servants,  and  send  them  among  you  in  my  room,  that 
you  may  have  torment  upon  torment,  which  is  your  por- 
tion ;  for  there  is  no  peace  to  the  wucked,  saith  my  God.' 
The  holy  confidence  with  which  he  utttered  these  words, 
shewed,  and  the  sequel  made  it  appear  plain,  that  something 
supernatural  was  contained  in  them  :  and  it  is  remarkable, 
that  among  the  imprisoned  quakers,  there  were  then  seve- 
ral that  had  been  banished  on  pain  of  death  ;  and  among 
these,  also  Elizabeth  Hooten  ;  and  Edward  Wharton  staid 
in  his  habitation,  contrary  to  his  sentence  of  banishment. 

Wenlock,  having  received  sentence  of  death,  was  again 
brought  to  prison,  where  having  been  detained  five  days, 
the  marshal  and  a  constable  came  to  him,  with  an  order 
from  the  court,  for  his  enlargement,  v/ith  twenty-seven 
more  of  his  friends,  then  in  prison,  for  their  testimony  to 
the  truth,  saying,  they  were  ordered  by  the  court  to  make 
him  acquainted  with  their  new  law.  '  What  means  this?' 
said  Wenlock:  *  have  ye  a  new  law  V  '  Yes,'  said  they. 
*Then  je  have  deceived  most  people,'  said  Wenlock. 
'  Why  T  said  they.  '  Because,'  said  he,  <  they  did  think 
rhc  gallows  had  been  your  last  weapon.  Your  magistrates 
said,  that  your  law  was  a  good  and  wholesome  law,  made 
for  your  peace,  and  the  safeguard  of  your  country.  What! 
are  }-our  hands  now  become  v/eak  ?  The  power  of  God  is 
over  you  all.' 

Thus  the  prison  doors  were  opened,  and  Wenlock, 
with  twenty-seven  more  of  his  friends,  as  aforesaid,  set  at 
liberty,  save  that  two  of  them,  viz.  Peter  Parson,  and  Jud- 
ith Bro^vn,  being  stripped  to  the  waist,  and  fastened  ta  a 

4  i> 


570  PERSECtrXIONS   IN 

cart's  tail,   were  whipped  through  the  town  of  Boston^ 
with  twenty  stripes  apiece. 

Now,  though  not  long  after,  an  order  came  from  the 
king,  as  will  be  seen  anon,  whereby  these  persecutors 
were  charged  to  desist  from  putting  the  quakers  to  death, 
yet  it  seems  they  had  got  some  scent  of  the  king's  dis- 
pleasure, who  had  a  mind  to  stop  their  bloody  career : 
for  having  got  a  book  written  by  George  Bishop,  con- 
taining a  relation  of  cruel  persecution  in  New  England, 
he  read  a  passage  concerning  major-general  Denison, 
who,  to  put  oiF  those  that  complained  of  their  wicked 
proceedings,  said,  '  this  year  ye  will  go  to  complain  to 
the  parliament,  and  the  next  year  they  will  send  to  see 
how  it  is ;  and  the  third  year  the  government  is  changed.' 
He  took  much  notice  of  this,  and  calling  to  the  lords  to 
hear  it,  said,  '  Lo!  these  are  my  good  subjects  of  New- 
England  y  but  I  will  put  a  stop  to  them.' 

it  was  not  long  before  an  opportunity  offered ;  for, 
the  news  of  William  Leddra's  death  being  come  into 
£ngland,  with  an  information  of  the  danger  that  others 
were  in,  of  going  the  same  way,  their  friends  took  it  so 
to  heart,  especially  Edward  Burrough,  that  having  got 
audience  of  the  king,  he  told  to  him,  there  was  a  vein  of 
innocent  blood  opened  in  his  dominions,  which,  if  it  was 
not  stopped,  would  overrun  all.  To  which  the  king  re- 
plied, '  but  I  will  stop  that  vein.'  Then  Burrough  de- 
sired him  to  do  it  speedily  ;  *  for  we  know  not,'  said  he, 
^  how  many,  may  soon  be  put  to  death.'  The  king  an- 
swered, *  as  soon  as  you  will.  Call  (said  he  to  some  pres^ 
ent)  the  secretary,  and  I  will  do  it  presently.'  The  sec- 
retary being  come,  a  mandamus  was  forthwith  granted. 
A  day  or  two  after,  going  again  to  the  king,  to  desire  dis-- 
patch  of  the  matter,  the  king  said,  he  had  no  occasion,, 
at  present,  to  send  a  ship  thither  ;  but  if  they  would  send 
one,  they  might  do  it  as  soon  as  they  could.  E.  Bur- 
rough then  asked  the  king,  if  it  would  please  him  to 
grant  his  deputation  to  one  called  a  quaker,  to  carry  the 
mandamus  to  NeAV-England.  The  king  answered,  '  yes, 
to  whom  you  will.'  Whereupon,  E.  Burrough  named 
one  Samuel  Shattock,  who  being  an  inhabitant  of  New^ 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.  571 

England,  was  banished  on  pain  of  death,  if  ever  he  re- 
turned  thither.  And  the  king  accordingly  granted  the 
deputation  to  him,  with  full  power  to  carry  the  manda- 
mus, which  was  as  foUowCth  : 

**  Charles  R. 

*'  Trusty  and  well  beloved,  we  greet  you 
well.  Having  been  informed  that  several  of  our  subjects 
amongst  you,  called  quakers,  have  been,  and  are  im- 
prisoned by  you,  whereof  some  have  been  executed,  and 
others,  (as  hath  been  represented  unto  us)  are  in  danger 
to  undergo  the  like  :  we  have  thought  fit  to  signify  our 
pleasure  in  that  behalf  for  the  future  ;  and  do  hereby  re- 
quire, that  if  there  be  any  of  those  people  called  quakers, 
amongst  you,  now  already  condemned  to  suffer  death,  or 
other  corporal  punishment,  or  that  axe  imprisoned,  and 
obnoxious  to  the  like  condemnation,  you  are  to  forbear 
to  proceed  any  farther  therein :  but  that  you  forthwith 
send  the  said  persons  (whether  condemned  or  imprison- 
ed) over  into  this  our  kingdom  of  England,  together  with 
the  respective  crimes  or  offences  laid  to  their  charge  ;  to 
the  end,  that  such  course  may  be  taken  with  them  here, 
as  shall  be  agreeable  to  our  laws,  and  their  demerits. 
And  for  so  doing,  these  our  letters  sh^li  be  ypur  suiftci- 
ent  warrant  and  discharge. 

*'  Given  at  our  court,  at  Whitehall,  the  9th  day  of 
September,  1661,  in  the  13th  year  of  our  reign. 

"  By  his  majesty's  command, 

"William  Morris.'' 

The  Superscription  was : 
•  To  our  trusty  and  well- beloved  John  Endicot,  Esq.  and 
to  all  and  every  other  the  governor,  or  governors, 
of  our  plantations  of  New- England,  and  of  all  the 
colonies  thereunto  belonging,  that  now  are,  or  here- 
after shall  be  ;  and  to  all  and  every  the  ministers  and 
officers  of  our  said  plantations  and  colonies  whatso- 
ever, within  the  continent  of  New- England.' 


572  PERSECUTIONS    IlT 

This  mandamus  to  the  rulers  of  New- England,  being 
obtained,  as  hath  been  said,  quick  dispatch  was  thought 
necessary  to  send  it  thither.  And  Samuel  Shattock  being 
impowercd  by  the  king  to  carry  it,  an  agreement  was 
made  with  one  Ralph  Goldsmith,  who  was  master  of  a 
good  ship,  and  also  one  of  those  called  quakers,  for  three 
hundred  pounds  (goods  or  no  goods)  to  sail  in  ten  days. 
He  then  immediately  made  all  things  ready  to  set  sail, 
and  with  a  prosperous  gale,  arrived  in  about  six  weeks 
time,  before  the  town  of  Boston,  in  New- England-  upon 
a  first  day  of  the  week.  The  townsmen  seeing  a  ship 
come  into  the  bay,  with  English  colours,  soon  came  on 
board,  and  asked  for  the  captain.  Ralph  Goldsmith  then 
told  him,  he  was  the  commander.  Then  they  asked  him 
whether  he  had  any  letters;  and  he  said,  '  yes.'  Where- 
upon they  asked,  if  he  would  deliver  them ;  but  he  said, 
*  no,  not  to  day.'  So  they  went  ashore,  and  reported 
there  was  a  ship  full  of  quakers,  and  that  Samuel  Shattock 
was  among  them,  who  they  knew  was,  by  their  law  liable 
to  be  put  to  death,  for  coming  in  again  after  banishment : 
but  they  knew  not  his  errand  nor  authority. 

All  being  thus  kept  close,  and  none  of  the  ship's  com- 
pany suffered  to  go  on  shore  that  day  ;  next  morning 
Samuel  Shattock,  tl  e  king's  deputy,  and  Ralph  Gold- 
smith, the  commander  of  the  vessel,  went  on  shore  ;  and 
sending  the  men  that  landed  them,  back  to  the  ship, 
they  two  went  through  the  town,  to  the  governor  John 
Endicot's  door,  and  knocked.  He  sending  a  man  to 
know  their  business,  they  sent  liim  word  their  business 
was  from  the  king  of  England,  and  that  they  would  de- 
liver their  message  to  none  but  the  governor  himself. 
Thereupon  they  were  admitted  to  go  in,  and  the  governor 
came  to  them,  and  commanded  Shattock's  hat  to  be  ta-^ 
ken  off,  rind  having  received  the  deputation  and  the  man- 
damus, he  laid  off  his  hat,  and  ordered  Shattock's  hat  to 
be  given  him  again  ;  he  looked  upon  the  papers,  and  then 
going  out,  went  to  the  deputy -governor,  and  bid  the 
kings  deputy,  and  the  master  of  the  ship  follow  him^ 
Being  come  to  the  deputy  governor,  and  havmg  con- 
sulted with   him  about   the   matter,   he  returned  to  the 


GREAT-BRITAIN    AND    AMERICA.  573 

two  aforesaid  persons,  and  said,  *  we  shall  obey  his  maj- 
esty's command.'  After  this  the  master  of  the  ship  gave 
liberty  to  the  passengers  to  come  ashore,  which  they  did, 
and  met  together  with  their  friends  of  the  town,  to  offer  up 
praises  to  God  for  this  wonderful  deliverance. 

Now,  forasmuch  as  several  of  their  friends  were  yet  in 
prison  at  Boston,  the  following  order  was  given  forthwith 
by  the  council  not  long  after  : 

"  To  William  Salter,  keeper  of  the  prison,  at  Boston, 

"  You  are  required  by  authority,  and  order  of  the  gene- 
ral court,  forthwith  to  release  and  discharge  the  quakers, 
who  at  present  are  in  your  custody.  See  that  you  do  not 
neglect  this. 

"  By  order  of  the  court, 

"  Edward  Rawson,  Sec. 
"  Boston,  9th  Dec.  1661." 

They  then  consulted  what  to  do,  that  they  might  not  in- 
cur the  king's  displeasure  ;  and  it  was  agreeci  to  send  a 
deputation  to  him.  First,  colonel  Temple  was  sent  to  ac- 
quaint the  king,  with  their  having  set  the  quakers  at  liberty ; 
and  he  was  followed,  not  long  after,  by  the  chief  priest, 
John  Norton,  and  Simon  Broadstreet  one  of  the  magis- 
trates. 

It  appears  by  an  application  to  king  James  the  second, 
in  the  year  168.5,  that  there  were,  in  England  and  Wales, 
1460  of  the  people  called  quakers,  prisoners  ;  some  under 
sentence  for  prcmunire  ;  some  for  refusing  to  swear  ;  some 
under  fines  on  the  act  of  banishment ;  and  others  on  writs 
of  excommunication  ;  besides  above  320,  who  died  pris- 
oners ;  of  whom,  100  were  judged  to  have  died  in  conse- 
quence of  their  long  confinement  and  hard  usage. 

After  king  James'  declaration  for  liberty  of  conscience  ; 
after  the  passing  of  the  act  of  toleration,  in  the  reign  of 
king  William  and  queen  Mary,  in  1689  ;  and  after  the  act, 
that  the  solemn  affirmation  and  declaration  of  the  people 
called  quakers,  should  be  accepted  instead  of  an  oath,  in 


574  PERSECUTIONS    &C. 

the  usual  form,  passed  1696,  these  people  were  greatly  re- 
leived  from  the  frequent  persecutions  and  great  sufferings 
to  which  they  had  been  exposed. 

Notwithstanding  the  great  exemption  and  relief  which 
they  experienced  from  the  above  acts,  the  laws  still  stand 
open  against  them,  and  are  frequently  enforced,  particu- 
larly for  not  complying  with  military  regulations,  and  for 
refusing  to  pay  tithes  ;  on  both  of  which  accounts,  there 
have  continued  to  be  frequent  instances,  not  only  of  some 
who  have  been  prosecuted  and  distrained  from,  but  of 
others,  who  have  been  cast  into  prison,  where  they  have 
sl&aled  their  testimonies  with  their  lives. 


PERSECUTED 

BY 

THE  MAHOMETANS. 

The  Martyrdom  of  Abdallah,  * 

Two  mahometans  of  Arabia,  persons  of  consideration  in 
their  own  country,  have  been  lately  converted  to  the  chris- 
tian faith.  One  of  them  has  already  suiFered  martyrdom, 
and  the  other  is  now  engaged  in  translating  the  scriptures, 
and  in  concerting  plans  for  the  conversion  of  his  country- 
men. The  name  of  the  martyr  was  Abdallah ;  and  the 
name  of  the  other,  who  is  now  translating  the  scriptures,  is 
Sabat ;  or,  as  he  is  called  since  his  christian  baptism,  Na- 
thaniel Sabat.  Sabat  resided  in  my  house,  some  time  be- 
fore I  left  India,  and  I  had  from  his  own  mouth,  the  chief 
part  of  the  account,  which  I  shall  now  give  to  you.  Some 
particulars  I  had  from  others.  His  conversion  took  place 
after  the  martyrdom  of  Abdallah,  *  to  whose  death  he  was 
consenting  :'  and  he  related  the  circumstances  to  me  with 
many  tears. 

Abdallah  and  Sabat  were  intimate  friends,  and  being 
young  men  of  family  hi  A  rabia,  they  agreed  to  travel  to- 
gether, and  to  vibit  foreign  countries.  They  were  both  zea- 
lous mahometans.     Sabat  is  sou  of  Ibrahim  Sabat,  a  noble 

*  This  account  is  taken  from  a  sermon,  preached  at  Bristol,  England,  in 
1309,  for  the  benefit  of  the  «'  Society  for  Mission?  tc  Afr'ra  and  tlir;  EaFt." 
by  Claudius  Buch*u?.r,  l  l.  d  from  I.Qd?4> 


576  PERSECUTED    BY 

family,  of  the  line  of  Beni-Sabat,  who  trace  their  pedigree 
to  Mahomet.  The  two  friends  left  Arabia,  after  paying 
their  adorations  at  the  tomb  of  their  prophet,  at  Mecca,  and 
travelled  through  Persia,  and  thence  to  CabuL  Abdallah 
was  appointed  to  an  office  of  state,  under  Zemaun  Shah, 
king  of  Cabul ;  and  Sabat  left  him  there,  and  proceeded  on 
a  tour  through  Tartary. 

While  Abdallah  remained  at  Cabul,  he  was  converted 
to  the  christian  faith,  by  the  perusal  of  a  Bible  (as  is  sup- 
posed) belonging  to  a  christian  from  Armenia,  then  residing 
at  Cabul.*  In  the  mahometan  states,  it  is  death  for  a  man 
of  rank  to  become  a  christian.  Abdallah  endeavoured  for 
a  time  to  conceal  his  conversion,  but  finding  it  no  longer 
possible  he  determined  to  flee  to  some  of  the  christian 
Churches,  near  the  Caspian  sea.  He  accordingly  left  Ca- 
bul in  disguise,  and  had  gained  the  great  city  of  Bochara, 
in  Tartary,  when  he  was  met  in  the  streets  of  that  city 
by  his  friend  Sabat,  who  immediately  recognized  him. 
Sabat  had  heard  of  his  conversion  and  flight,  and  was  filled 
with  indignation  at  his  conduct.  Abdallah  knew  his  dan- 
ger, and  threw  himself  at  the  feet  of  Sabat.  He  confessed 
that  he  was  a  christian,  and  implored  him,  by  the  sacred 
tie  of  their  former  friendship,  to  let  him  escape  with  his 
life.  ''  But,  sir,"  said  Sabat,  when  relating  the  story  him- 
self, "  /  had  no  pity.  I  caused  my  servants  to  seize  him, 
and  I  delivered  him  up  to  Morad  Shah,  king  of  Bochara. 
He  was  sentenced  to  die,  and  a  herald  went  through  the 
city  of  Bochara,  announcing  the  time  of  his  execution.  An 
immense  multitude  attended,  and  the  chief  men  of  the 
city.  I  also  went  and  stood  near  to  Abdallah.  He  was 
offered  his  life,  if  he  would  abjure  Christ.  The  execu- 
tioner stood  by  him  whh  his  sword  in  his  hand.  *No,' 
said  he  (as  if  the  proposition  was  impossible  to  be  compli- 
ed with)  '  I  cannot  abjure  Christ.'  Then  one  of  his  hands 
was  cut  off  at  the  wrist.  He  stood  firm,  his  arm  hanging 
by  his  side  with  but  little  motion.  A  physician,  by  desire 
of  the  king,  offered  to  heal  the  wound,  if  he.  would  recant. 
He  made  no  answer,  but  looked  up  steadfastly  towards 

*  The  Armenian  christians  in  Persia,  have  among-  them  a  few  copies  of  ihe 
Arabic  Bible. 


THE    MAHOMETANS* 


577 


heaven,  like  Stephen,  the  first  martyr,  his  eyes  streaming 
with  tears.  He  did  not  look  with  anger  towards  me.  He 
looked  at  me,  but  it  was  benignly,  and  with  the  counte- 
nance of  forgiveness.  His  other  hand  was  then  cut  off* 
Bur,  sir,'  said  Sabat,  in  his  imperfect  English,  '  he  never 
changed,  he  never  changed.  And  when  he  bowed  his  head 
to  receive  the  blow  of  death,  all  Bochara  seemed  to  say, 
*  what  new  thing  is  this  ?" 

Sabat  had  indulged  the  hope,  that  Abdallah  would  have 
recanted,  when  he  was  offered  his  life  ;  but,  when  he  saw 
that  his  friend  was  dead,  he  resigned  himself  to  grief  and 
remorse.  He  travelled  from  place  to  place,  seeking  rest, 
and  finding  none.  At  last,  he  thought  that  he  would  visit 
India.  He  accordingly  came  to  Madras,  about  five  years 
ago.  Soon  after  his  arrival,  he  was  appointed  by  the  En- 
glish government  a  mufti,  or  expounder  of  mahometan 
law ;  his  great  learning,  and  respectable  station  in  his  own 
country,  rendering  him  eminently  qualified  for  that  office. 
And  now,  the  period  of  his  own  conversion  drew  near. 
While  he  was  at  Visagapatam,  in  the  Northern  Circars,  ex- 
ercising his  professional  duties.  Providence  brought  in  his 
way  a  new  Testament  in  Arabic*  He  read  it  with  deep 
thought,  the  Koran  lying  before  him.  He  compared  them 
together,  and  at  length,  the  truth  of  the  word  of  God  fell  on 
his  mind,  as  he  expressed  it,  like  a  flood  of  light. 

*  One  of  those  copies  sent  to  India,  by  the  "  Society  for  Promoting  Cliris- 
tian  Knowledg-e." 


4    E 


EXAMPLES 

OF 

THE  JUST  JUDGMENTS  OF  GOD 

ON 

PERSECUTORS,  drc. 

TO  WHICH  IS  ANNEXED, 

A  CHRISTIAN  PLEA  AGAINST  PERSECUTIONS  FOR  THE 

CAUSE  OF  CONSCIENCE. 


"  Now  I  say  unto  you,  refrain  from  these  men,  and  let  them  alone  ;  for  if 
this  counsel,  or  this  work,  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to  nougfht ;  but  if  it  be  of 
God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it ;  lest  haply,  you  be  found  even  to  fight  against 
God.'* 

Acts  V.  38,  39. 


EXAMPLES 

OF 

THE  JUST  JUDGMENTS  OF  GOD 

ON 

PERSECUTORS,  ^c. 


Although  the  long-suffering  and  merciful  God,  does  not 
immediately  enter  into  judgment  on  such  as  have,  in  the  most 
flagrant  manner,  violated  his  holy  laws,  yet  there  are  numerous 
instances,  even  in  this  life,  where  we  may  read  in  legible  charac- 
ters, his  displeasure  marked  with  dreadful  afflictions  on  stub- 
born offenders. 

Many  examples  may  be  produced,  both  from  sacred  and  pro- 
fane history,  wherein  severe  and  awful  judgments  have  been 
poured  down  on  the  heads  of  hardened  persecutors  ;  some  of 
the  most  distinguished  of  which,  we  shall  lay  before  our  readers. 

In  the  Old  Testament,  we  may  read  what  befel  Cain,  Ishmael, 
Joseph's  brethren,  Pharaoh,  Ahab,  Saul,  Jezebel,  Joash,  Haman, 
Nebuchadnezzar,  the  presidents  and  princes  of  Media  and 
Persia,  and  many  others :  and,  in  the  New-Testament,  we  find 
how  it  fared  with  Herod,  Judas,  Pilate,  &c. 

King  Antiochus,  simamed  Epiphanes,  a  great  persecutor  of 
•the  Jews,  who  committed  great  evils  at  Jerusalem,  and  took 
all  the  vessels  of  gold  and  silver  that  were  therein,  and  sent  to 
destroy  the  inhabitants  of  Judea,  without  a  cause  ;  and  as  him- 
self confessed,  who,  in  a  proud  and  insolent  manner,  protested 
he  would  make  Jerusalem  a  common  burying-place,  and  the 
streets  thereof  run  with  the  blood  of  God's  people,  was  by  God's 
just  judgment,  plagued  with  a  grievous   sickness,   having  a 


S82  THE    JUST    JUDciiENTS    OF    COD 

remediless  pain  in  his  bowels,  and  an  intolerable  torment  in  his 
inward  parts  :  his  body  bred  abundance  of  worms,  which  con- 
tinually crawled  out  of  the  same ;  yea,  he  so  rotted  above 
ground,  that  by  reason  of  an  intolerable  stink,  no  man  could 
endure  to  come  near  him,  neither  could  he,  himself,  endure  the 
same  ;  but,  in  a  flood  of  extreme  misery,  ended  his  days,  which 
as  he  confessed,  came  upon  him  for  the  evil  aforesaid.  See  the 
life  of  Judas  Maccabees,  in  darkens  MartyroU  p.  13,  as  also  the 
First  Book  of  Maccabees,  chap.  i.  x.  and  chap.  vi.  viii.  &c. 

Herod  (called  the  great)  who,  that  he  might  kill  Christ,  sent 
and  slew  all  the  children  in  Bethlehem,  and  the  coasts  thereof, 
from  two  years  old  and  under,  and  who  afterwards,  as  history 
relates,  being  given  up  of  God  to  wickedness,  slew  his  own  wife, 
children,  nearest  kins^folks,  and  familiar  friends,  was  smitten 
of  God  with  a  grievous  sickness,  like  a  fire  in  his  inward  parts  ; 
and  rotting  in  his  bowels,  &c.  an  abundance  of  worms  swarmed 
out  of  him,  while  yet  alive ;  a  violent  cramp  seized  him,  and  be- 
ing in  dreadful  anguish,  he  sought  to  destroy  himself,  but  was 
prevented  by  his  friends  ;  and  so  at  length,  in  extreme  misery, 
he  ended  his  wretched  life.     See  darkens  Gen*  MartyroL  p.  26. 

Judas  Iscariot  betrayed  his  Lord  and  Master,  for  the  love  of 
money.     Read  his  fate  in  Mat.  xxvii.  3,  4,  5. 

Pilate,  under  whom  Christ  was  crucified,  in  the  days  of  Tibe- 
rius Nero,  then  emperor,  through  the  just  punishment  of  God^ 
was  first  apprehended  and  accused  at  Rome ;  deposed ;  and 
then  banished  to  the  town  of  Lyons,  and  at  length  killed  himself. 
Acts  and  Man,  p.  50. 

Caiphas,  who  sat  upon  the  judgment-seat,  and  condemned 
Christ,  was,  in  the  reign  of  the  emperor,  Caesar  Caligula,  re- 
moved from  the  high-priest's  office,  and  did  not  long  after  es- 
cape with  his  life,     ibid, 

Tiberius  Caesar,  who  was  called  Tiberius  Nero,  in  whose 
reign,  and  government  Christ  himself  suffered,  was  poisoned  to 
death,     ibid, 

Caesar  Caligula,  emperor  of  Rome,  who  wished  that  all  the 
people  of  Rome  had  but  one  neck,  that  he  might  at  pleasure  de- 
stroy them  at  once,  was  slain  when  he  had  reigned  but  four 
years,     ibid, 

Claudius  Nero,  of  whom  it  is  said,  thut  he  ruled  thirteen 
years,  with  no  little  cruelty  to  the  Christians,  was,  in  the  end, 
slain,     ibid. 

Certain  men  of  the  Jewish  nation,  informers,  had  accused  the 
martyr  Simon  (son  of  Cleophas,  and  reputed  nephew  to  Christ) 
for  being  a  christian,  and  one  of  the  stock  of  David,  against 
whom  Trajanus,  the  emperor,  had  given  forth  a  commandment, 


ON    PERSECUTORS,    &C.  583 

•  that  whosoever  could  be  found  of  the  stock  of  David,  he  should 
be  inquired  out,  and  put  to  death  ;  of  which  stock,  upon  inquiry, 
these  his  accusers,  were  found  to  be,  and  so  right  justly  were 
put  to  execution  themselves,  which  sought  the  destruction  of 
another ;  though  not  long  after,  the  good  man  Simon,  after 
he  had  been  scourged  many  days,  bearing  it  with  singular 
constancy,  when  he  was  an  hundred  and  twelve  years  old,  was 
crucified  and  put  to  death,  finishing  his  course  in  the  Lord. 
Acts  and  Mon,  p.  65,  66. 

Three  other  wicked,  evil  disposed  persons  (informers)  seeing 
the  soundness,  grave,  constant,  and  virtuous  life  of  Narcissus, 
then  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  aged  an  hundred  and  sixty  three  years, 
accused  him  of  some  great  crime,  that  he  was  clear  of,  and  hav- 
ing laid  it  to  his  charge,  they,  the  better  to  make  their  accusa- 
tion seem  more  probable  before  the  people,  binding  it  with 
a  great  oath,  one  wishing  to  be  destroyed  by  fire,  if  he  said  not 
true  ;  the  other  to  be  consumed  with  a  grievous  sickness  ;  the 
third,  to  loose  both  his  eyes,  if  they  did  lie  :  Narcissus,  although 
having  his  conscience  clear,  yet  not  able,  being  but  one  man,  to 
withstand  their  accusations,  bound  with  such  oaths,  gave  place, 
and  removed  himself  from  the  multitude  into  a  solitary  desert, 
by  himself,  where  he  continued  many  years  ;  in  the  mean  time, 
the  first,  by  casualty,  was  burnt,  with  all  his  family  and  goods  ; 
the  second  was  seized  with  a  dreadful  sickness,  whereof  he 
died ;  and  the  third,  confessed  his  fault,  and  repented  of  the 
same,  yet  he  lost  the  sight  of  both  his  eyes  ;  and  thus  was  their 
false  perjury  punished  ;  and  Narcissus,  after  long  absence,  re- 
turned home  again,  and  was,  by  this  means,  both  cleared  of  the 
fact,  and  received  into  his  bishoprick  again.  Acts  and  Mon,  p.  80. 

Antiohcus,  tormentor  and  executioner  of  extreme  torments, 
(under  Alexander  Severus,  the  emperor  and  persecutor  of  the 
christians)  upon  a  young  youth,  called  Agapitus,  of  the  age  of 
fourteen  years,  who  suffered  Martyrdom  for  not  sacrificing  to 
idols,  after  he  had  been  assailed  with  sundry  torments,  viz.  first, 
with  whips  scourged,  then  hanged  by  the  feet,  after  having  hot 
water  poured  upon  him,  at  last,  cast  to  wild  beasts  ;  with  all 
which  torments,  he  could  not  be  hurt;  finally,  with  the  sword 
was  beheaded.  This  said  Antiochus,  in  executing  the  afore- 
said torments,  suddenly  fell  down  from  his  Judicial  seat, 
crying  out,  '  that  all  his  bowels  burned  within  him,'  and  so  gave 
up  the  ghost.  Hen.  de  Erfordia^  lib.  6.  ch  29.  Acts  £if  3Ion* 
page  85. 

What  can  be  more  striking,  on  this  subject,  than  the  miserable 
end  of  the  emperor  Nero,  that  bitter  persecutor  of  Christianity, 
whose  agonies  were  so  great,  from  the  stocking  barbarity  with 


584  THE    JUST    JUDGMENTS    OF    GOD 

which  he  was  treated,  even  by  his  own  subjects,  that  he,  in  vain, 
implored  to  be  eased,  by  death,  from  his  sufferings  ;  and  when 
he  could  find  neither  friend  nor  enemy,  to  grant  even  this  re- 
quest, he  added  the  crime  of  suicide  to  his  enormous  vices,  and 
unlamented,  perished  by  his  own  hand.  Southwell^ s  New  Book 
of  Martyrs^  p.  462. 

In  a  word,  if  histories  speak  true,  few  or  none  of  the  perse- 
cuting Roman  emperors,  died  in  their  beds. 

Decius,  the  persecutor,  being  overcome  in  war,  to  avoid  his 
enemies'  hands,  he  leaped  with  his  horse  into  a  whirlpool,  and 
was  drowned      darkens  Gen.  MartyroU  p.  54. 

Valerianus,  the  emperor,  and  persecutor  of  the  christians,  was 
taken  prisoner  of  the  Persians,  when  he  was  seventy  years  of 
age,  and  Saphores,  the  king  of  the  Persians,  used  him  lor  his 
horse  block  ;  for  whensoever  the  king  was  minded  to  mount  his 
horse,  openly,  in  the  sight  of  his  people,  Valerianus,  the  quon- 
dam emperor,  was  brought  forth  instead  of  a  block,  lor  the  king 
to  tread  upon  his  back,  in  mounting  his  horse  ;  and,  in  ihe 
end,  he  was  condemned  to  be  slain,  and  powdered  with  salt,  for 
a  perpetual  monument  of  his  own  wretchedness.  Acta  £if  Mon* 
p.  105.  ex  Euseh, 

The  two  emperors,  Dioclesian,  and  Maximinian,  rigid  ene- 
mies to  the  christian  faith,  after  abdicating,  through  vexatious 
circumstances,  their  thrones,  both  died  unhappily  :  the  latter,  in 
particular,  in  his  attempting  to  restore  himseli,  unnaturaiiy  lall- 
ing  by  the  means  of  his  own  son  Maxentius,  who  likewise  came 
to  as  untimely  an  end  as  his  parent,  being  drowned,  in  the  prime 
of  his  life,  and  the  very  meridian  of  his  sins  and  impieties. 
SouthweWs  Nexu  Book  of  Martyrs^  p.  462. 

The  example  of  the  emperor  Maximinus,  another  persecu- 
tor of  Christ's  church,  deserves  recital.  Soon  after  his  setting 
forth  his  impious  decrees,  against  the  unoffending  christians, 
which  were  engraved  in  brass,  he  was,  by  the  just  judgments  of 
the  Most  High,  afflicted  with  a  dreadful  and  unnatural  disease, 
having  lice,  and  other  shocking  vermine,  crawling  from  his  very 
entrails,  in  so  terrible  a  manner,  as  to  render  abortive  every 
method  to  afford  him  relief ;  and  attended  with  so  horrid  a 
putrescent  stench,  that  for  several  days  before  his  death,  no  per- 
sons would  hazard  their  lives  to  give  him  the  least  assistance,  lb. 

To  leave  the  Roman  history,  and  turn  our  eyes  on  trans- 
actions nearer  the  present  period,  let  us  take  notice  of  the  hand 
ot  God  on  Sigusmund,  emperor  of  Germany,  for  his  unjustifi- 
able treatment  of  John  Huss,  and  Jerome  of  Prague.  After 
the  martyrdom  of  those  eminent  lights  of  the  reformation,  by  his 
orders,  nothing  he  took  in  hand  succeeded,  but  a  series  of  the 


ON    PERSECUTORS,    ScC.  585 

most  unhappy  events  attended  him  and  his  family,  which,  in  one 
generation,  became  extinct:  he,  in  his  wars,  was  ever  the  loser, 
and  his  empress,  Barbara,  turned  out  so  infamously  lewd,  as  to 
be  a  lasting  infamy  to  her  family,  and  a  disgrace  to  her  sex.  ib^ 

In  the  reign  of  Henry  II.  of  France,  the  chancellor,  Oliver, 
who,  at  the  instigation  of  cardinal  Lorain,  brother  to  that  impla- 
cable enemy  of  the  gospel,  the  duke  of  Guise,  had  stretched  the 
authority  of  the  laws,  to  bring  many  worthy  persons  to  utter 
destruction,  for  their  adherence  to  the  truth  ;  this  unjust  judge, 
being  struck  with  great  remorse  and  self  conviction  of  his  mis- 
deeds, fell  sick,  and  so  great  were  the  horrors  of  his  tormented 
conscience,  for  his  cruel  decreet  against  the  righteous,  that  he 
could  not  rest  day  or  night,  for  the  torture  of  his  w^ounded 
mind,  but  shortly  expired,  horribly  shrieking  out,  with  a  loud 
cry,  in  his  last  moments,  '  Oh  !  cardinal,  thou  wilt  make  us  all 
be  damned,'  with  which  words,  he  gave  up  the  ghost,     ibid. 

Neither  did  the  cardinal  himself,  nor  his  brother,  the  duke 
of  Guise,  long  triumph  in  the  success  of  their  bloody  machina- 
tions, as  the  former  shortly  after  died,  and  the  latter  fell  a  sacri- 
fice to  the  daggers  of  his  exasperated  countrymen,     ibid, 

Hoimeister,  an  arch  papist,  and  a  chief  pillar  of  the  pope's 
antichristian  doctrine,  as  he  was  proceeding  on  his  journey  to 
Ratisbon,  to  be  present  at  a  council  held  there,  and  to  defend 
the  Romish  superstitions  against  the  defenders  of  Christ's  gos- 
pel, was  prevented  from  executing  his  impious  purpose,  being 
suddenly  seized  in  his  progress,  near  the  city  of  Ulmes,  with  an 
extreme  illness,  of  which  he  almost  instantly  expired,  in  great 
agonies,  crying  out  in  the  most  horrid  manner,    ibid. 

The  following  tragedy,  which  happened  in  the  university  of 
Louvaine,  will  likewise  exemplify  our  subject :  a  learned  per- 
son in  the  above  seminary,  who  was  reader  of  divinity  to  the 
monks  of  St.  Gertrude,  and  had  violently  maintained  the  cor- 
rupt errors  of  popery,  at  length  falling  extremeiy  ill,  and  per- 
ceiving no  hopes  of  recovery,  he  regretted,  with  the  greatest 
perturbation  of  mind,  his  manifold  sins,  but  more  particularly 
his  having  so  warmly  espoused  the  cause  of  idolatry,  &c.  in  op- 
position to  the  divine  truths  of  the  gospel ;  an  offence,  he  said, 
of  so  heinous  a  nature,  as  to  be  too  great  to  expect  God's  par- 
don. Continually  repeating  this  terrible  expression,  he  expired 
in  all  the  horrors  of  desperation,     ibid. 

Jacob  Latomus,  who  was  president  of  a  college,  at  Louvaine, 
is  another  instance  of  the  dreadful  judgments  of  God,  on  persons 
offending  against  his  most  holy  word.  Latomus  went  to  Brus- 
sels, to  make  along  oration  against  the  reformed  religion,  and  to 
vindicate  poperv,  which  he  did  before  the  emperor ;  but  fo  little 

4    F 


586  THE    JUST    JUDGMElffTC    OF    GOD 

to  the  purpose,  as  to  verify  the  common  observation,  *  that  a  bad 
advocate  does  much  more  harm  than  good  co  any  cause.'  The 
Romish  clergy,  and  indeed  the  whole  court,  seem  to  have  been 
of  this  opinion.  He  returned  to  Louvaine,  despised  and  ridi- 
culed by  those,  who  plainly  saw  he  had  vainly  attempted  to  de- 
fend a  train  of  absurdities,  which  required  the  utmost  sophistry 
to  vindicate ;  and,  whether  it  might  proceed  from  the  mortifica- 
tion he  felt,  at  the  indifferent  reception  his  pious  falsehoods 
met  with  at  Brussels,  or  whether  his  own  conscience  plainly 
pointed  out  to  him  his  impious  conduct  (the  latter,  indeed, 
seems  to  be  more  probably  the  case)  he,  very  soon  after  his  re- 
turn, fell  into  an  open  fury  of  madness,  at  the  very  instant  he  was 
giving  his  public  lectures,  and  was  forced  to  be  conveyed,  raving 
with  lunacy,  to  a  close  room,  and  fastened  down  therein  ;  and 
from  that  period,  to  his  last  breath,  his  whole  cry  was,  "  that  he 
was  damned  and  rejected  of  God,  and  that  there  was  no  hope  of 
salvation  for  him,  because  he  had,  against  the  positive  convic- 
tion of  his  own  conscience,  withstood  the  truth  of  God,  and 
Christ's  holy  word  j"  and  thus  shortly  ended  his  wretched  life, 
with  all  the  violence  of  the  most  furious  insanit  .     ibid^  p.  463. 

Ponchet,  archbishop  of  Tours,  made  application  to  have  a 
court  erected,  called  Chamber  Ardent^  wherein  to  condem :.  the 
protestants  to  the  flames  ;  but  soon  after  obtaining  permission  to 
execute  his  cruel  intentions,  he  was  struck  with  a  disease,  called 
the  fire  of  God,  which  began  at  his  feet,  and  ascended  upwards 
with  so  tormenting  a  burning,  that  he  was  obliged  to  have  one 
member  cutoff  after  another,  and  thus  miserably  ended  his  days. 

The  legate  and  chancellor  Du  Pratt,  who  was  the  first  that 
opened  to  the  parliament  of  Paris,  the  knowledge  of  heresies, 
and  gave  out  the  first  commissions  to  put  the  faithful  to  death, 
soon  after  died,  at  his  house,  at  Natoillet,  swearing,  and  hor- 
ribly blaspheming  God.  After  his  death,  his  stomach  was 
found  to  be  pierced  and  gnawed  asunder  with  worms.      ibid. 

Queen  Mary,  whose  vehement  zeal  for  establishing  popery^ 
in  England,  and  in  whose  reign,  the  blood  of  so  many  martyrs 
was  spilled,  did  not  prosper  in  her  undertakings  ;  but,  through  a 
series  of  losses  and  disappointments,  in  state  affairs,  as  also, 
being  forsaken  by  her  husband,  Philip,  of  Spain,  with  whom 
she  promised  herself  much  happiness,  after  a  short  and  wretch- 
ed reign  of  five  years,  four  months,  and  eleven  days,  ended  her 
life,  as  owned  by  herself,  of  that  corrosive  and  mental  torture,  a 
broken  heart. 

The  fatal  day,  on  which  Ridley  and  Latimer  suffered  at 
Oxford,  the  old  duke  of  Norfolk  paid  a  visit  to  bishop  Gard- 
ner, at  his  house   in  London,  in  consequence  of  his  being  in- 


ON    PERSECUTORS,    &C.  5.8.7 

vited  to  dine  with  him,  at  that  time.  But  so  eager  was  this 
bloody  prelate  to  glut  his  ears  with  the  news  of  the  absolute 
destruction  of  those  two  pious  sufferers,  that  he  postponed  his 
usual  time  of  dining,  saying,  **he  would  not  eat  till  he  received 
positive  assurance  of  the  execution  of  the  barbarous  sentence, 
he  knew  was  to  be  put  in  practice  that  day  at  Oxford.'* 

Accordingly,  as  soon  as  the  messenger  arrived,  >vhich  was 
not  till  four  o'clock,  and  had  given  him  the  assurance  of  his 
cruel  wishes  being  completed,  he  ordered  dinner  to  be  ushered 
in,  and  sitting  down  to  it  with  great  apparent  satisfaction,  said, 
*'  now,  my  lord  duke,  we  can  set  down  to  refresh  ourselves  with 
pleasure."  But  observe  the  hand  of  God  on  this  impious 
priest ;  no  sooner  had  he  swallowed  a  few  morsels,  but  he  was 
suddenly  seized  with  so  violent  a  fit  of  illness,  that  he  was 
obliged  to  be  taken  from  table,  and  from  that  moment  to  the 
last  of  his  life,  never  was  free  from  the  greatest  misery  and  tor* 
ture ;  for  fifteen  days  and  nights  did  he  languish,  never  being 
able,  either  by  urine,  or  any  other  means,  to  evacuate,  which 
caused  such  a  terrible  inflammation  in  his  body,  as  if  he  were, 
in  a  manner,  burning  alive.  By  the  raging  fire  in  his  intestines, 
his  body  was  miserably  swoln  and  black  ;  his  tongue  thrust  at 
last  out  of  his  mouth  :  he  expired,  a  shocking  spectacle,  and 
with  a  most  nauseous  and  undurable  effluvia :  a  proper  end  to 
so  inhuman  a  persecutor  of  the  righteous.  SouthtveWs  New 
Book  df  Martyrs^  p.  464. 

Doctor  Dunning,  chancellor  of  Norwich,  a  bloody  man,  who 
condemned  several  innocent  persons,  in  the  midst  of  his  rage 
died  suddenly  (as  it  is  said)  sitting  in  his  chair. 

The  like  judgment  fell  upon  bishop  Thornton,  Suffragan  of 
Dover,  who,  after  he  had  exercised  great  cruelty  in  persecuting, 
at  length,  upon  a  Sunday  (so  called)  looking'  upon  his  men, 
playing  at  bowls,  fell  suddenly  in  a  palsy,  and  being  had  to 
bed,  was  put  in  mind  to  remember  God  ;  "yea,"  said  he,  "so  I 
do,  and  my  lord  cardinal  too,"  and  so  died. 

After  he  was  dead,  the  cardinal  ordained  another  bishop,  in 
his  room,  who  being  at  Greenwich,  after  he  had  received  the 
cardinal's  blessing,  going  down  a  pair  of  stairs  from  the  cham- 
ber, he  fell  down  and  broke  his  neck  :  to  these  examples,  also, 
may  be  added,  the  terrible  judgment  of  God  upon  the  parson, 
at  Crundall,  in  Kent,  who  having  received  the  pope's  pardon 
from  cardinal  Poole,  coming  home  to  his  parish,  exhorted  the 
people  to  receive  the  same,  saying,  "  that  he  now  stood  as  clear 
in  his  conscience,  as  when  he  was  first  born,  and  mattered  not 
if  he  died  the  same  hour  he  spoke  it :"  Whereupon,  being  sud- 
denly stricken  by  the  hand  of  God,  and  leaning  a  little  on  the 


588  THE    JUST    JUDGMENTS    OP    GOD 

one  side,  he  immediately  shrunk  down  in  the  pulpit,  and  so  was 
ibund  dead,  not  speaking  one  word  more. 

Not  long  bef'jre  the  death  of  queen  Mary,  died  suddenly. 
Doctor  Jeffery,  Chancellor  of  Salisbury,  who,  not  long  before  his 
death,  had  caused  above  ninety  persons  to  be  summoned  to  ap- 
pear before  him,  to  the  end  he  might  examine  them,  by  inqui- 
sition, concerning  their  religion,  but  by  the  providence  of  God, 
he  was  prevented  irom  executing  the  evil,  he  intended  against 
them,  for  in  the  midst  of  his  buildings,  he  was  taken  away  by 
the  mighty  hand  of  God. 

One  Woodrove,  who  was  sheriff  of  London,  rejoiced  much 
at  the  death  of  the  innocent,  and  was  very  cruel  in  his  of- 
fice ;  for  when  one  Rogers  was  going  in  a  cart  towards  Smith- 
field,  to  be  burnt,  and,  in  the  way,  his  children  being  brought  to 
him,  because  the  cartman  stopped  his  cart,  that  he  might  speak 
to  them,  he  caused  the  cartman's  head  to  be  broken :  but  what 
happened  ?  Within  a  week  after,  this  sheriff  coming  out  of  his 
office,  he  was  suddenly  smitten  by  the  hand  of  God,  the  one  half 
of  his  body  being  benumbed ;  and  lay  bed-ridden,  and  in  this  in- 
firmity, he  continued  seven  or  eight  years,  till  his  dying  day. 

Alexander,  the  keeper  of  Newgate,  a  cruel  enemy  of  those 
that  lay  there  for  religion,  died  very  miserably,  being  so  swelled 
that  he  was  more  like  a  monster  than  a  man,  and  so  rotten 
within,  that  no  man  could  abide  the  smell  of  him  ;  this  cruel 
wretch,  to  hasten  the  poor  lambs  to  the  slaughter,  would  go  to 
Bonner,  Story,  Cholmley,  and  others,  crying  out;  "  rid  my  pris- 
on, rid  my  prison,  I  am  too  much  pestered  with  these  heretics." 

James,  the  son  of  the  said  Alexander,  having  left  unto  him, 
by  his  father,  great  substance,  within  three  years,  wasted  all  to 
nought,  and  when  some  marvelled  how  he  spent  those  goods  so 
fast;  "Oh!"  said  he,  *-' evil  gotten,  evil  spent:"  And  shortly 
after,  as  he  went  to  Newgate  market,  fell  down  suddenly,  and 
there  wretchedly  died. 

John  Peter,  son-in-law  to  this  Alexander,  a  horrible  blasphe- 
mer of  God,  and  no  less  cruel  to  the  said  prisoners,  com- 
monly, when  he  would  affirm  any  thing,  were  it  true  or  false, 
used  to  say,  "  if  it  be  not  true,  I  pray  God  I  rot  e're  I  die  ;" 
accordingly,  he  did  rot  away,  and  so  died  most  miserably. 

The  sudden  death  of  many  more  persecutors,  might  be  men- 
tioned, who  were  cut  oft'  in  this  queen's  time,  and  before  ;  but 
by  what  is  inserted  may  be  seen,  that  the  Lord  was  against 
those  persecuting  priests  and  bishops. 

John  Endicot,  governor  of  Massachusetts  colony,  a  princi- 
pal promoter  of  the  persecution  there  ;  soon  after  he  had  signed 
a  warrant  for  the  barbarous  v;hipping  of  Edward   Wharton, 


ON   PERSECUTORS,    &:c.  589 

was  visited  with  a  filthy  and  loathsome  disease,  of  which  he  died. 
It  was  observed,  that  at  the  time  when  this  governor  lay  on  his 
death-bed,  the  common  executioner,  or  hangman,  who,  by  his 
commands,  had  imbrued  his  hands  in  the  blood  of  the  inno- 
cent, was  also  cut  off,  and  died  in  great  horror  of  mind,  and 
torment  of  body.  Their  deaths  thus  concurring,  were  re- 
marked by  some,  who  said,  "  who  would  have  thought  the 
head  and  tail  should  go  so  near  together."  Besse's  Collection  of 
the  Sufferings  of  the  ^akers^  vol.  2,/;.  280. 

Humphrey  Adderton,  who,  at  the  trial  of  Wenlock 
Christison,  did,  as  it  were,  bid  defiance  to  heaven,  by  saying 
to  Wenlock,  "you  pronounce  woes  and  judgments,  and  those 
that  are  gone  before  you,  pronounced  woes  and  judgments; 
but  the  judgments  of  the  Lord  God  are  not  come  upon  us  yet," 
was  suddenly  surprised.  He  was  an  officer,  or  major  of  the 
soldiery,  and  having  been,  on  a  certain  day,  exercising  his 
men  with  much  pomp  and  ostentation,  he  was  returning  home 
in  the  evening,  near  the  place  where  they  usually  loosed  the 
quakers  from  the  cart,  after  they  had  whipped  them,  his  horse, 
suddenly  affrighted,  threw  him  with  such  violence  that  he  in- 
stantly died,  his  eyes  being  dashed  out  of  his  head,  and  his 
brains  coming  out  at  his  nose,  his  tongue  hanging  out  at  his 
mouth,  and  the  blood  running  out  at  his  ears.  Being  taken 
up  and  brought  into  the  court-house,  the  place  where  he  had 
been  active  in  sentencing  the  innocent  to  death,  his  blood  ran 
through  the  floor,  exhibiting  to  the  spectators  a  shocking  in- 
stance of  the  divine  vengeance  against  a  daring  and  hardened 
persecutor,  thus  made  a  fearful  example  of  that  divine  judg- 
ment, which,  whefH^rewarned  of,  he  had  openly  despised,  and 
treated  with  disdain,     ibid, 

John  Norton,  one  of  their  chief  priests,  a  principal  exciter 
of  the  magistrates  to  persecute  the  innocent,  and  put  them  to 
death,  was  cut  off  by  a  sudden  and  unexpected  stroke,  for  hav-  " 
ing  been  at  his  worship  in  the  forepart  of  the  day,  and  intend- 
ing to  go  thither  again  in  the  afternoon,  as  he  was  walking  in 
his  own  house,  he  was  observed  to  fetch  a  great  groan,  and 
leaning  his  head  against  the  chimney-piece,  was  heard  to  say, 
"  the  hand,  or  judgment,  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,"  and  so 
sunk  down,  and  spake  no  more,  and  had  fallen  into  the  fire,  had 
not  an  ancient  man,  then  present,   prevented  it.    ibid, 

John  Danfort,  a  member  of  their  church,  and  a  captain 
of  their  castle  at  Boston,  as  he  lay,  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  upon 
his  bed,  was  struck  dead  in  a  strange  manner,  by  lightning,  ib, 

John  Webb,  who,  with  armed  men,  led  Mary  Dyer  to 
her  execution,    as  he,  with    others,    were  busy  in   killing   a 


590  THE    JUST    JUDGMENTS    OF    GOD 

whale,  \Vas,  on  a  sudden,   after  a  strange  manner,  carried  into 
the  sea  and  drowned,     ibid, 

Timothy  Dalton,  a  persecuting  priest  at  Hampton,  and  his 
brother  Philemon,  both  inveterate  opposers  of  the  people 
called  quakers,  were  soon  taken  away  ;  the  said  Philemon  was 
killed  by  the  fall  of  a  tree  on  his  leg,  and  the  other  by  another 
visitation.  This  priest  had  called  it  blasphemy  to  say,  "  the 
light  within  was  the  light  of  Christ."    ibid,  p.  271. 

Captam  Johnson,  who  led  forth  Willi^im  Leddra  to  be 
put  to  death,  was  afterwards  taken  with  a  distemper  which 
deprived  him  of  his  reason  and  understanding  as  a  man.   ibid. 

Marshal  Brown,  of  Ipswich,  a  rapacious  plunderer  of  the 
quakerg'  goods,  was  soon  after  cast  upon  a  bed  of  languish- 
ing, where  he  lay  in  great  affliction  of  body,  and  horror  of 
conscience,  and  so  departed  this  life.     ibid. 

Edward  Norris,  a  priest  at  Salem,  who  excited  the  rulers 
and  people  there  against  the  innocent,  saying,  "  what  they  did 
to  the  quakers  was  not  persecution  but  prosecution  ;'^  at  a  time 
when  he  was  vindicating  the  proceedings  against  them,  in  a  ser- 
mon to  the  people,  was  suddenly  struck  dumb  in  his  pulpit,  and 
after  a  short  time,  died,     ibid, . 

Priest  Mitchel,  of  Cambridge,  soon  after  he  had  endeav- 
oured to  stir  up  the  rulers  there  to  persecution,  was  smit- 
ten by  the  hand  of  the  Lord  ;  and  it  was  related  of  him,  that 
his  tongue,  while  he  was  yet  alive,  was  turned  exceeding  black 
in  his  mbuth  ;  and  in  that  condition,  he  died,  ibid, 

Richard  Bellingham,  who  violently  prosecuted  this  people 
even  to  death,  having  completed  the  measure  of  his  iniquity, 
ended  his  government  with  his  life,  bei^^  bereft  of  his  un- 
derstanding, and  dying  distracted,     ibid. 

Samuel  Archer,  a  marshal  in  Salem,  who  had  frequent- 
ly taken  asvay  the  quakers'  goods,  to  defray  his  master's  reck- 
oning at  the  tavern,  was  suddenly  removed  and  cut  off.    ibid. 

Many  other  particular  persons,  who  had  been  noted  instru- 
ments in  carrying  on  the  work  of  persecution,  were  after- 
wards observed  to  fall  under  several  calamitous  disasters 
and  casualties,  which  were  esteemed  by  those  who  knew  them, 
as  tokens  of  the  divine  displeasure  manifested  against  them,  by 
reason  of  the  particular  share  of  guilt  which  their  personal 
concern  in  shedding  innocent  blood  had  brought  upon  them.  ib. 

But  if  we  extend  our  observations  yet  farther,  and  take  a 
view  of  that  terrible  scene  of  judgment  and  calamities,  which, 
for  many  years,  after  the  putting  those  innocent  martyrs  to 
death,  fell  upon  the  inhabitants  of  this  province  in  general,  we 
shall  shall  Ira^e  reason  to  conclude,  that  as  there  was  a  concur- 


ON   persecVtors,  &c.  59l 

rence  of  the  magistrates,  priests,  and  many  of  the  people,  in 
making  and  executing  those  laws,  by  which  the  innocent  were 
devoted  to  destruction,  their  general  guilt  might  draw  down  a 
decree  of  the  divine  vengeance  upon  them,  and  that  the  variety 
of  heavy  judgments  which  followed  were  of  the  Lord,  who 
ordaineth  his  arrows  against  the  persecutors,     ibid. 

Their  own  Historian,  Cotton  Mather,  in  his  History  of 
New-England,  says,  in  book  I,  page  27  : 

"  For  now  more  than  twenty  years,  the  blasting  strokes  of 
Heaven  upon  the  secular  affairs  of  this  country  have  been  such, 
as  rather  to  abate,  than  enlarge  the  growth  of  it." 

Page  29.  "  The  many  calamities  which  have  ever  since  been 
wasting  the  country,  have  so  nipt  the  growth  of  it,  that^its  lat- 
ter progress  hath  held  no  proportion  with  what  was  from  ihe 
beginning." 

Page  31.  "  There  have  been  several  years  wherein  the  terri- 
ble famine  hath  terribly  struck  the  town  in  the  face.  The  an- 
gel of  death  hath  often  shot  the  arrow  of  death  into  the  midst 
of  the  town.  The  small-pox  hath  especially  four  times  been 
a  great  plague  upon  us.  Never  was  any  town  under  the  copes 
of  heaven  more  liable  to  be  laid  in  ashes,  either  through  the 
carelesness  or  wickedness  of  them  that  sleep  in  it." 

Page  32.  *^  Ten  times  hath  the  fire  made  notable  ruins  among 
us,  and  our  good  servant  been  almost  our  master." 

Page  38.  "  Ah  !  Boston!  thou  hast  seen  the  vanity  of  all 
worldly  possessions.  One  fatal  morning,  which  laid  fourscore 
of  thy  dwelling-houses,  and  seventy  of  thy  ware-houses  in  a 
ruinous  heap,  not  nineteen  years  ago,  gave  thee  to  read  it  in 
fiery  characters  :  and  an  huge  fleet  of  thy  vessels,  if  they  were 
all  together,  that  have  miscarried  in  the  late  war,  has  given 
thee  to  read  more  of  it." 

Chap.  2.  He  tells  how  the  consuming  wrath  of  God  Is  every 
day  on  the  young  men,  saying,  "  New-England  has  been  like 
a  tottering  house,  the  very  foundations  of  it  have  been  shaking, 
the  house  thus  oversetting,  by  the  wrath  of  God,  hath  been  like 
Job's  house,  *  it  falls  upon  the  young  men,  and  they  are  dead:' 
The  disasters  on  our  young  folks  have  been  so  multiplied,  that 
there  are  few  parents  among  us,  but  what  will  go  with  wounded 
hearts  down  unto  their  graves  :  their  daily  moans  are,  "  Ah  ! 
my  son,  cut  off  in  his  youth !  my  son  !  my  son !" 

Book  V.  chap,  i.  p.  85.  "  By  land,  some  of  the  principal 
grains,  especially  our  wheat  and  our  pease,  fell  under  an  unac- 
countable blast,  from  which  we  are  not  yet  even  unto  this  day 
delivered  :  and  besides  that  constant  frown  of  htavcn  upon  our 
husbandry,  recurring  every  year,  few  years  have  paascd  wherein. 


592  THE    JUST    JUDGMENTS    OF    GOD,  &C. 

either  worms,  or  droughts,  or  some  consuming  disasters,  have 
not  befallen  the  labour  of  the  husbandmen.  By  sea,  we  were 
visited  with  multiplied  shipwrecks  ;  enemies  preyed  upon  our 
vessels  and  our  sailors  ;  and  the  affairs  of  the  merchant  were 
clogged  with  losses  abroad,  or  fires  breaking  forth  in  the  chief 
seats  of  trade  at  home,  wasted  their  substance,  with  yet  more 
costly  desolations  :  nor  did  the  land  and  sea  more  proclaim  the 
controversy  of  our  God  against  us,  than  that  other  element  of 
the  air,  by  the  contagious  vapours,  whereof  several  pestilential 
sicknesses  did  some  times  become  epidemical  among  us  :  yea, 
the  judgments  of  God  having  done  the  first  part  of  the  moth 
upon  us,  proceeded  then  to  do  the  part  of  a  lion  in  lamentable 
wars,  ^herein  the  barbarous  Indians  cruelly  butchered  many 
hundreds  of  our  inhabitants,  and  scattered  whole  towns  with 
miserable  ruins." 

Page  87.  "  The  scourges  of  Heaven  were  employed  upon  the 
churches  of  New-England  for  their  miscarriages  ;  and  they 
were  sorely  lashed  with  one  blow  after  another." 

Page  88.  "  That  God  hath  a  controversy  with  his  New-Eng- 
land people  is  undeniable  j  the  Lord  having  written  his  displeasure 
in  dismal  characters  against  us  ;  though  personal  afflictions  do  oft- 
entimes come  only  or  chiefly  for  probation  ;  yet  as  to  public  judg- 
ments, it  is  not  wont  so  to  be,  especially  when,  by  a  continued 
series  of  providence,  the  Lord  doth  appear  and  plead  against 
his  people,  2  Sam.  xxi.  11.  as  with  us  it  hath  been  from  year  to 
year.  Would  the  Lord  have  whetted  his  glittering  sword,  and 
his  hand  have  taken  hold  on  judgments  ?  Would  he  have  sent 
such  a  mortal  contagion,  like  a  besom  of  destruction,  in  the 
midst  of  us  ?  Would  he  have  said,  "  sword,  go  through  the 
land,  and  cut  off  man  and  beast  r"  Or,  would  he  have  kindled 
such  devouring  fires,  and  made  such  fearful  desolations  in  the 
earthy  if  he  had  not  been  angry  i"  It  is  not  for  nothing,  that  the 
merciful  God,  who  doth  noc  willingly  afflict  nor  grieve  the  chil- 
dren of  men,  hath  done  all  these  things  unto  us  ;  yea,  and  with 
a  cloud  hath  covered  himself,  that  our  prayer  could  not  pass 
through." 

Much  more  might  be  extracted  from  the  above  book,  of  the 
sore  afflictions  of  New-Englafid,  but  our  limits  will  not  allow 
their  insertion. 


A  CHRISTIAN  PLEA  AGAINST  PERSECUTIONT 


CAUSE  OF  CONSCIENCE. 


Persecution  for  the  cause  of  conscience,  is  against  the  doc- 
trine of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  the  King  of 
kings,  and  Lord  of  lords  ;  it  is  against  scripture,  reason,  expe- 
rience, and  the  testimony  of  many  eminent  men,  princes  and 
learned  authors. 

Christ  commanded,  that  the  tares  and  wheat  should  be  let 
alone  in  the  world,  and  net  plucked  up  until  the  harvest,  which 
is  the  end  of  the  world.     Mat.  xiii. 

Christ  also  commandeth,  that  they  that  are  blind,  should  be 
let  alone,  referring  their  punishment  unto  the  falling  into  the 
ditch.     Mat,  xv. 

Again,  he  reproved  his  disciples,  who  would  have  had  fire 
come  down  from  heaven,  and  devour  those  Samaritans,  who 
would  not  receive  him,  in  these  words,  *' ye  know  not  what 
manner  of  spirit  ye  are  of;  for  the  Son  man  is  not  come  to 
destroy  men's  lives,  but  to  save  them."     Luke>t  ix-  55^  56. 

The  prophets  foretold,  that  "  in  the  last  days  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  that  the  mountain  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  be  estab- 
lished in  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  it  shall  be  exalted  above 
the  hills  ;  and  people  shall  flow  unto  it.  And  many  nations 
shall  come,  and  say,  come,  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob  ;  and  he  will  teach 
us  of  his  wa}'s,  and  we  will  walk  in  his  paths :  for  the  law  £.hall 
go  forth  of  Zion,  aad  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem. 
And  he  shall  judge  among  many  people,  and  rebuke  strong  na- 
tions afar  off;  and  they  shall  bci^t  their  swords  ir.co  pioiigh- 
sharcs,  and  their  spears  into  prunii.;^-  hooks:  nation  shall  not 
lift  up  a  sv^ord  against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  ^var  any 
more."     Mkah^  iv.  1,  2,  3. 

4   G 


594  A    CHRISTIAN    PLEA 

"  The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal."  2  Cor.  x.  4. 

And  he  chargeth  straitly  (that  his  disciples  should  be  so  far 
from  persecuting  those  that  would  not  be  of  their  religion)  that 
when  they  were  persecuted,  they  should  pray  ;  when  they  were 
cursed,  they  should  bless,  &c.  Mat,  v.  And  the  reason  seems 
to  be,  because  they  who  now  are  tares,  may  hereafter  become 
wheat :  they  who  are  now  blind,  may  hereafter  see  ;  they  that 
now  resist  him,  may  hereafter  receive  him  ;  they  that  are  now 
in  the  devil's  snare,  and  oppose  the  truth,  may  hereafter  come 
to  repentance  ;  and  they  that  are  now  blasphemers  and  persecu- 
tors (as  Paul  was)  may,  in  time,  become  faithful  as  he  ;  they 
that  are  now  idolatrous,  as  the  Corinthians  once  were,  may  here- 
after become  true  worshippers  as  they  :  1  Cor.  vi.  9.  They  that 
are  now  no  people  of  God,  nor  under  mercy  (as  the  saints 
sometimes  were,  1  Pet,  ii.  20)  may  hereafter  become  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  and  obtain  mercy  as  they. 

Some  come  not  till  the  eleventh  hour :  if  those  that  come 
not  till  the  iast  hour  should  be  destroyed,  because  they  come 
not  at  the  first,  they  would  thereby  be  prevented  and  never 
come.     Mat,  xx.  6. 

King  Jame-,  in  his  speech  to  the  parliament,  1609,  saith,  "It 
is  a  sure  rule  in  divinity,  that  God  never  loves  to  plant  his 
church  by  violence  and  bloodshed  ;  and  that  it  is  usually  the 
condition  of  christians  to  be  persecuted,  but  not  to  persecute.'^ 

Again,  he  saith,  page  4,  speaking  of  the  papists  ;  "  I  have 
good  proof,  that  I  intended  no  persecution  against  them  for 
conscience  cause." 

And  in  the  same  king's  Exposition  of  Rev.  20,  printed 
1588,  he  writes  thus:  "Compassing  of  the  saints,  and  besieg- 
ing of  the  beloved  city,  declareth  unto  us  a  certain  note  of  a 
false  church  to  be  persecution  ;  for  they  come  to  seek  the  faith- 
ful ;  the  faithful  are  them  that  are  sought ;  the  wicked  are  the 
besiegers^  the  faithful  are  the  besieged." 

And  the  king  of  Bohemia  hath  thus  written :  "  And  notwith- 
standing the  success  of  the  latter  times  (wherein  sundry  opin- 
ions have  been  hatched  about  the  subject  of  religion)  may  make 
owe  clearly  discern  with  his  eye,  and  as  it  were  to  touch  with 
his  ringt'r,\hat  according  to  the  truth  of  the  scripture,  and  a 
ma?cim  heretofore  maintained,  by  the  ancient  doctors  of  the 
church,  that  men's  consciences  ought  in  no  sort  to  be  violated,, 
urged,  or  constrained ;  and  whensoever  men  have  attempted 
any  thing,  by  this  violent  course,  whether  openly,  or  by  secret 
means,  the  issue  hath  been  pernicious,  and  the  cause  of  great  and 
wonderful  innovations  in  the  principalest  and  mightiest  king- 
doms and  countries  of  all  Christendom*'^ 


AGAINST    PERSECUTION.  595' 

And,  further,  he  saith : "  So  that  once  more  we  do  profess  be- 
fore God,  and  the  whole  world,  that  from  this  time  forward  we 
are  firmly  resolved,  not  to  persecute  or  molest,  or  suffer  to  be 
persecuted  or  molested,  any  person  whomsoever,  for  matter  of 
religion  ;  no,  not  those  who  profess  themselves  to  be  of  the  Ro- 
mish church,  neither  to  trouble  nor  disturb  them  in  the  exercise 
of  their  religion,  so  they  live  conformable  to  the  laws  of  the 
.states,  &c." 

Hilary  against  Auxentius,  saith  thus :  "  The  christian 
church  doth  not  persecute,  but  is  persecuted.  And  lamentable 
it  is  to  see  the  folly  of  these  times,  and  the  foolish  opinion  of 
this  world,  in  that  men  think  by  human  aid  to  help  God,  and 
with  worldly  pomp  and  power  to  undertake  to  defend  the  chris- 
tian church.  I  ask  the  bishops,  what  help  used  the  apostles  in 
publishing  the  gospel  i  W  ith  the  aid  of  what  power  did 
they  preach  Christ,  and  convert  the  heathen  from  their  idol- 
atry to  God  ?  When  they  were  in  prisons,  and  lay  in  chains, 
did  they  praise  and  give  thanks  to  God  for  any  dignities  or  fa- 
vours received  from  the  court  I  Or,  do  you  think  that  Paul 
went  about  with  regal  mandates,  or  kingly  authority,  to  gather 
and  establish  the  church  of  Christ?  Sought  he  protection  from 
Nero  Vespatian  ? 

"  The  apostles  wrought  with  their  hands  for  their  own  main- 
tenance, travelling  by  land  and  water,  from  town  to  city,  to 
preach  Christ ;  yea,  the  more  they  were  forbidden,  the  more 
they  taught  and  preached  Christ;  but  now,  alas  !  human  help 
must  assist  and  protect  the  faith,  and  give  the  same  counte- 
nance too  :  and,  by  vain  and  worldly  honours,  do  men  seek  to 
defend  the  church  of  Christ,  as  if  he,  by  his  power,  were  unable 
to  perform  it. 

"  The  church,  formerly,  by  enduring  misery  and  imprison- 
ment, was  known  to  be  a  true  church.  The  pretended  church 
now  does  terrify  others  by  imprisonment,  banishment  and  mise- 
ry, and  boasteth  that  she  is  highly  esteemed  of  the  world ; 
whereas,  the  true  church  cannot  but  be  hated  of  the  same." 

Tiirtul.  ad  Scapulam — *'  It  agreeth  both  with  human  reason 
and  natural  equity,  that  every  man  worship  God  uncompelled  ; 
neither  beseemeth  any  religion  to  compel  another  to  be  of  their 
religion,  which  willingly  and  freely  should  be  embraced,  and 
not  by  constraint ;  forasmuch  as  the  offerings  were  required  of 
those  that  freely,  and  of  good  will  offered,  and  not  Irom  the 
contrary." 

Jerom  in  Proaem.  lib.  4.  in  ycremiam — "  Heresy  must  be 
cut  off  with  the  sword  of  the  spirit :  let  us  strike  through,  with 
the  arrows  of  the  spirit,  all  sons  and  disciples  of  misled  here- 


596  A    CHRISTIAN    PLEA 

tics  ;  that  is,  with  testimoii  es  of  the  scriptures  ;  the  slaughter 
of  hereucs  is  by  the  word  of  God." 

Brentius,  upon  the  first  of  the  Corinthians,  chap#  3 — "  No 
man  hatli  power  to  make  or  give  laws  to  christians,  whereby 
to  bind  iheir  consciences  ;  for  willingly,  freely  and  uncompell- 
ed,  with  a  ready  desire  and  cheerful  mind,  must  those  that 
come      un  unto  Christ." 

Luther,  in  his  books  of  the  Civil  Magistrate,  saith,  "  The 
laws  of  the  civil  magistrates'  government  extend  no  further 
than  over  the  body  or  goods,  and  to  that  which  is  external,  for 
over  the  soul  God  will  not  suffer  any  man  to  rule,  only  he  him- 
self will  rule  there  ;  wherefore,  whosoever  doth  undertake  ta 
give  laws  unto  the  souls  and  consciences  of  men,  he  usurpeth 
that  government  himself,  which  appertaineth  unto  God,  &c." 

Therefore,  upon  1  Kings,  v.  he  saith,  '^  In  the  building  of 
the  temple,  there  was  no  sound  of  iron  heard,  to  signify,  that 
Christ  will  have  in  his  church  a  free  and  willing  people,  not 
compelled  and  constrained  by  laws  and  statutes." 

Again,  he  saith  upon  Luke  xxii. — *'  It  is  not  the  true  catholic 
church,  which  is  defended  by  the  secular  arm,  or  human  pow- 
er, but  the  false  and  feigned  church,  which,  although  it  carries 
the  name  of  a  church,  yet  it  denies  the  power  thereof." 

It  is  no  prejudice  to  a  kingdom  or  commonwealth,  if  liberty 
of  conscience  be  suffered  to  such  as  fear  God. 

Abraham  abode  among  the  Canaanites  a  long  time,  yet  con- 
trary to  them  in  religion.  Gen.  xiii. 

Again,  he  sojourned  in  Gerar ;  and  king  Abimelech  gave 
liim  leave  to  abide  in  his  land,  Gen,  xx.  15. 

Isaac  also  dwelt  in  the  same  land,  yet  contrary  in  religion, 
Ge7i.  XXV  i. 

Jacob  lived  twenty  years  in  one  house  with  his  uncle  Laban, 
yst  differed  in  religion,  Gen,  xxxi. 

The  people  of  Israel  were  about  four  hundred  and  thirty 
years  in  that  infamous  land  of  Egypt,  and  afterwards  seventy 
years  in  Babylon  ;  all  which  time  they  differed  in  religion  from 
the  state,    Exod.  xii.  and  2  Chron,  xxxvi. 

Come  to  the  time  of  Christ,  when  Israel  was  under  the  Ro- 
mans, where  lived  divers  sects  of  religion,  as  Herodians,  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  Sadduces,  Libertines,  Thudians,  and  Samaritans, 
besides  the  common  religion  of  the  Jews,  Christ,  and  his  apos- 
tles ;  all  which  differed  from  the  common  religion  of  the  state, 
which  was  like  the  worship  of  Diana,  which  almost  the  whole 
world  then  worshipped.   Acts^  xix*  20. 

Ail  ihese  lived  under  the  government  of  Csesar,  (being noth- 
ing hurtful  to  the  commonwealth)  giving  unto  Caesar  that  which 


AGAINST  PERSECUTION.  597 

was  his  ;  and  for  their  religion  and  consciences  towards  God, 
he  left  them  to  themselves,  as  having  no  dominion  over  their 
souls  and  consciences  ;  and  when  the  enemies  of  truth  raised  up 
any  tumults,  the  wisdom  of  the  magistrate  most  wisely  appeas- 
ed them.   Acts  xviii.  14,  and  xix.  35. 

That  famous  lawyer  Coke  saith,  in  regard  to  men's  being 
obliged  to  accuse  or  purge  themselves  by  oaths,  "■  the  oath  ex 
officio^  is  an  invention  of  the  devil,  to  cast  the  souls  of  misera- 
ble people  into  hell." 

"  Let  the  judges,"  saith  Tindall,  "judge  and  condemn  the 
trespasses  under  lawful  witnesses,  and  not  break  up  into  the 
consciences  of  men,  afer  the  example  of  Antichrist's  disciples, 
and  compel  them  either  to  forswear  themselves,  or  to  testify 
against  themselves  ;  which  abomination,  saith  he,  our  prelates 
learned  of  Caiaphas,  Mat.  xxvi.  saying  to  Christ,  *  I  adjure, 
or  charge  thee  in  the  name  of  the  living  God,  that  thou  tell  us 
whether  thou  be  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  Valq,  Co- 
niro  illustraes^p,  124.  num,  27. 

Jer.  Tayler,  chaplain  in  ordinary  to  king  Charles,  in  his  book,, 
entitled, '•A  Discourse  of  the  Liberty  of  Prophesying,,  says,  "as 
contrary  as  cruelty  is  to  mercy,  as  tyranny  is  to  charity  ;  so 
is  war  and  bloodshed  to  the  meekness  and  gentleness  of  the 
christian  religion. 

'^  Although  we  must  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith,  yet,  this 
contention  must  be  with  arms  fit  for  the  christian  warfare,  the 
sword  of  the  spirit,  the  shield  of  faith,  &c  but  not  with  other 
arms  ;  for  a  churchman  must  not  be  a  striker,  for  the  weapons  of 
our  warfare  are  nor  carnal,  but  spiritual. 

"  If  the  persons  be  christians  in  their  lives,  and  christians  ain 
their  professions  ;  if  they  acknowledge  the  eternal  son  of  God 
for  their  master,  and  Lord,  and  live  in  all  relations  as  be- 
comes persons  making  such  professions,  why  then  should  I  hate 
such  persons  whom  God  loves,  and  who  love  God,  who  are 
partakers  of  Christ,  and  Christ  hath  a  title  to  them,  who  dwell 
in  Christ,  and  Christ  in  them,  because  their  understandings 
have  not  been  brought  up  like  mine,  have  not  had  the  same 
masters,  they  have  not  met  with  the  same  books ;  have  not  the 
same  opinions  that  I  have,  and  do  not  determine  their  school 
questions  to  the  same  sense  of  mv  sect  or  interest? 

"  I  earnestly  contend,  that  another  man's  opinion  shall  be  no 
rule  to  mine  ;  and  that  my  opinion  shall  be  no  snare  and  preju- 
dice to  myself;  that  men  use  one  another  so  charitably,  that 
no  error  or  violence  tempt  men  to  hypocrisy ;  this  very  thing 
being  one  of  the  arguments  I  used  to  persuade  permissions, 
lest  compulsion  introduce  hypocrisy,  and  make  sincerity  trou- 
blesome, &c. 


598  A    CdHRISTlAN    PLEA 

*'  From  the  dictates  of  holy  scriptures,  it  is  observable,  that 
this,  with  its  appendant  degrees,  I  mean,  restraint  of  prophe- 
sying, imposing  upon  other  men's  understandings,  being  mas- 
ters of  their  consciences,  and  lording  it  over  their  faith,  came  in 
with  the  retinue  and  train  of  antichrist,  as  other  abuses  and  cor- 
ruptions of  the  church  did,  by  reason  of  the  iniquity  of  the  times, 
and  the  cooling  of  the  first  heats  of  Christianity,  and  the  increase 
of  interest,  and  the  abatements  of  christian  simplicity,  when  the 
church's  fortune  grew  better,  and  her  sons  grew  worse,  and  some 
of  her  fathers  worst  of  all. 

"  All  wise  princes,  till  they  were  overborne  with  faction,  and 
solicited  by  peevish  persons,  gave  toleration  to  diifering  sects. 

"  And  the  experience  which  Christendom  hath  had  in  this  last 
age,  is  argument  enough,  that  toleration  of  differing  opinions,  is 
so  far  from  disturbing  the  public  peace,  or  destroying  the  inter- 
est of  princes  and  commonwealths,  that  it  doth  advantage  the 
public  ;  it  secures  the  peace,  because  there  is  not  so  much  as 
the  pretence  of  religion  left  to  such  persons,  to  contend  for,  it 
being  already  indulged  to  them. 

"  And,  indeed,  there  is  great  reason  for  princes  to  give  tolera- 
tion to  disagreeing  persons,  whose  opinions  cannot  by  fair 
means  be  altered ;  for  if  the  persons  be  confident,  they  will  serve 
God  according  to  their  persuasions  ;  and  if  they  be  publicly 
prohibited,  they  will  privately  convene,  and  then  all  those  in- 
conveniencies  and  mischiefs,  which  are  arguments  against  the 
permission  of  conventicles,  are  arguments  for  the  public  permis- 
sions of  differing  religions,  &c.  they  being  restrained,  and  made 
miserable,  endears  the  discontented  persons  and  makes  more 
hearty  and  dangerous  confederations." 

"The  duke  of  Savoy,  repenting  of  his  war,  undertaken  for 
religion,  against  the  Piedmontans,  promised  them  toleration, 
and  was  as  good  as  his  word  :  as  much  is  done  by  the  nobility  of 
Polonia.  So  that  the  best  princes  and  the  best  bishops  gave  tol- 
eration and  impunities  :  (and  it  is  known,  that  the  first  persecu- 
tion of  disagreeing  persons,  was  by  the  Arians,  by  Circumcel- 
lians,  and  Donatics,  and  from  them  they  of  the  church  took 
example,  &:c.)  And,  among  the  Greeks,  it  became  a  public  and 
authorized  practice,  till  the  question  of  images  grew  hot  and 
high ;  for  then  the  worshippers  of  images,  having  taken  their 
example  from  the  empress  Irene,  who  put  her  son's  eyes  out  for 
making  an  edict  against  images,  began  to  be  as  cruel  as  they 
were  deceived,  especially  being  encouraged  by  the  pope  of 
Rome,  who  then  blew  the  coals  to  some  purpose. 

I  may,  upon  this  occasion,  mention  as  a  remarkable 
circmstance,   that,  till  the   time   of  Justinian,    the  emperor, 


AGAINST   PERSECUTION.  599 

A.  D.  525,  the  Catholics  and  Novatians  had  churches 
indifferently  permitted  even  in  Rome  itself,  but  the  bish- 
ops of  Rome,  whose  interest  was  much  concerned  in  it, 
spoke  much  against  it,  and  laboured  for  the  eradication  of  the 
Novatians  ;  and,  at  last,  when  they  got  power  into  their  hands, 
they  served  them  accordingly.  But,  it  is  observed  by  Socrates, 
that  when  the  first  persecution  was  made  against  them  at  Rome, 
by  pope  innocent  the  first,  at  the  same  instant,  the  Goths  invad- 
ed Italy,  and  became  lords  of  all,  itbeingjust  in  God,&c. 

And  I  have  heard  it  observed  as  a  blessing  upon  St.  Austin, 
who  was  so  merciful  to  erring  persons,  as,  the  greatest  part  of 
his  life,  to  tolerate  them,  and  never  endure  that  they  should  be 
given  over  to  the  secular  power  to  be  killed ;  that  the  very 
night  the  Vandals  set  down  before  his  city  of  Hippo,  to  besiege 
it,  he  died,  and  went  to  God ;  being  taken  from  the  miseries 
to  come. 

Let  all  errors  be  as  much,  and  as  zealously  suppressed  as  may 

be,  but  let  it  be  done  by  such  means  as  are  proper  instruments  of 

their  suppression,  by  preaching  and  disputation,  by  charity  and 

-sweetness,  by  holiness  of  life,  assiduity  of  exhortation,  by  the 

word  of  God,  and  prayer. 

For  these  ways  are  most  natural,  most  prudent,  most  peace- 
able and  effectual,  only  let  not  men  be  hasty,  in  calling  every 
disliked  opinion  by  the  name  of  heresy  ;  and  when  they  have 
resolved  that  they  will  call  it  so,  let  them  use  the  erring  person 
like  a  brother,  not  beat  him  like  a  dog,  or  convince  him  with  a 
gibbet,  or  vex  him  out  of  his  understanding  or  persuasion. 

Chr}'sostomus  said,  *•  it  is  not  the  manner  of  the  children  of 
God  to  persecute  others  to  death  about  their  religion ;  but  it 
hath  been,  and  is  their  condition,  to  be  put  to  death  themselves 
for  the  testimony  of  the  truth.  Moreover  (said  he)  the  shed- 
ding of  blood  about  religion  is  an  evident  token  of  antichrist.'' 
JRehq-,  Uris.p,  192. 

Haywardus  said,  '  that  the  best  writers  of  that  time  did 
agree  in  one  opinion,  with  Tertulliano,  Lactantio,  Cassidoro, 
and  Josephus,  &c.  that  people  must  persuade  men  to  em- 
brace religion  with  reason,  and  not  compel  them  by  violence. 

"  I  have,  for  a  long  season,  determined  (said  one  of  the  kings 
of  France)  to  reform  the  church,  which,  without  peace,  I  ci'nnot 
do,  for  it  is  impossible  to  reform  or  convert  people  by  violence.' 

"  I  am  king  as  a  shepherd  (said  he)  and  will  not  shed  the 
blood  of  my  sheep  ;  but  will  gather  them  through  the  mildness 
and  goodness  of  a  king,  and  not  through  the  power  of  tyranny. 
And  I  will  give  them  that  are  of  the  reformed  religion* 
liberty  to  live  and  dwell  free,  without  being  examined,  perplex- 


600  A    CHRISTIAN    PLEA 

ed,  molested,  or  compelled  to  any  thing  contrary  to  their  con- 
sciences ;  for  they  shall  have  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion, 
&:c."      Fide  Chro'iu  Vande  Underg,  2.  deeL  p.  1514. 

Luther  said,  '  that  the  hypocrite's  church  was  to  be  known 
by  its  manners,  whose  image  and  sign  was  Esau,  yet  she  boast- 
ed of  (jod,  and  would  be  accounted  his  church,  but  lived  wholly 
according  to  the  world.  Further  (said  he)  the  true  church  is 
not  defended  by  a  fleshly  arm,  which  wicked  bishops  especially 
use,  and  cry  unto.'      Thesau,  p,  622. 

Calvin  said,  '  diat  the  apostle  gave  to  understand,  that  to  ex- 
ercise authority  over  one's  faith,  was  in  no  wise  just,  nor  toler- 
able :  yea,  it  is  tyranny  in  the  church  ;  for  faith  ought  to  be  free 
from  all  subjection  of  men.' 

Several  of  the  priests  in  the  Low  countries  requested  of 
the  prince  and  states,  that  they  would  introduce  ordinances 
and  discipline  according  to  their  opinions  ;  but  the  prince  and 
states  rejected  their  requests,  esteeming  them  prejudicial 
both  to  religion  and  policy,  when  they  observed  the  divers 
opinions  that  were  among  the  people  ;  concluding,  it  was  the 
best  way  to  preserve  unity  among  the  people,  to  give  liberty 
to  all:   Anno.  1608.     Edict,  fol.  27. 

Constantius,  the  emperor,  said,  '  that  it  was  enough  that  he 
preserved  the  unity  of  the  faith,  that  he  might  be  excusable  be- 
fore the  judgmentseat  of  God  ;  and  that  he  would  leave  every 
one  to  his  own  understanding,  according  to  the  account  he  will 
give  before  the  judgmentseat  of  Christ.  Hereto  may  we 
stir  up  people,  not  compel  them  ;  beseech  them  to  come  into 
the  unity  of  the  christians,  but  to  do  violence  to  them,  we  will 
not  in  any  wise.'     Sabast.  Frank,  Chron.  fol.  127. 

Those  princes  that  have  ruled  by  gentleness  and  clemency, 
added  to  justice,  and  have  exercised  moderation  and  meekness 
towards  their  subjects,  always  greatly  prospered  and  reigned 
long. 

But,  on  the  contrary,  those  princes  that  have  been  cruel,  un- 
just, perfidious,  and  oppressors  of  their  subjects,  have  soon 
fallen,  they  and  their  estate  into  danger,  or  total  ruin. 

Veritus,  said,  "seeing  Christ  is  a  lamb,  whom  you  profess  to 
be  your  head  and  captain,  then  it  behoveth  you  to  be  sheep,  and 
to  use  the  same  weapons  which  he  made  use  of,  for  he  will  not 
be  a  shepherd  of  wolves,  and  wild  beasts,  but  only  of  sheep  ; 
wherefore,  if  you  lose  the  nature  of  sheep,  and  be  changed  into 
wolves,  and  wild  beasts,  and  use  fleshly  weapons,  then  will 
vou  exclude  yourselves  out  of  his  calling,  and  forsake  his 
banner,  and  then  will  he  not  be  your  captain." 


AGAINSt    P£RSECUTION.  601 

Ste^hanus,  king  of  Poland,  said,  '  it  belongeth  not  to  me  to 
teform  the  conscience.  I  have  always  gladly  given  that  over  to 
God,  which  belongeth  to  him,  and  so  shall  I  do  now  ;  and  also 
for  the  future,  I  will  suffer  the  weeds  to  ^row  until  the  time  of 
harvest;  for  I  know  that  the  number  of  believers  are  but  small; 
therefore,  he  said,  when  some  were  proceeding  in  persecution^ 
^ ego  sum  rex  populorum  ;  non  conscientiariim  ;"*  that  is, '  I  am  the 
king  of  the  people,  not  of  their  consciences.'  He  also  affirmed^ 
that  religion  was  not  to  be  planted  with  fire  and  sword.  Chron* 
Van.  de  ReL  Urijh,  2  deel. 

Tindal  said,  *  the  New  Testament  of  Christ  suffered  no  law 
of  compelling,  but  alone  of  persuading  and  exhorting.*  Fox's 
Acts  and  Mon.  p.  1338. 

The  prince  of  Orange  testified.  Anno,  1579^  'that  it  was  inir 
possible  that  the  land  should  be  kept  in  peace,  except  there  wa? 
a  free  toleration  in  the  exercise  of  religion.' 

'  Where  hast  thou  ever  read,  in  thy  days  (said  Mento')  in  the 
writings  of  the  aposdes,  that  Christ  or  the  apostles  ever  oried 
out  to  the  magistrates,  for  their  power,  against  them  that  would 
not  hear  their  doctrine,  or  obey  their  words  ?  I  know  certainly, 
said  he,  that  where  the  magistrate  shall  banish  with  the  sword, 
there  is  not  the  right  knowledge,  spiritual  word,  nor  church  of 
Christ :  it  is  invocare  brachium  seculare^ 

'It  is  not  christian  like,  but  tyrannical,'  said  D.  Philipson, '  tg 
banish  and  persecute  people  about  faith  and  religion,  and  they 
that  so  do,  are  certainly  of  the  pharisaical  generationi)  who  re- 
sisted the  Holy  Ghost.' 

Erasmus,  said,  '  that  though  they  take  our  money  and  goods, 
they  cannot  therefore  hurt  our  salvation  ;  they  afflict  us  much,^ 
with  prisons,  but  they  do  not  thereby  separate  us  from  God.'  //> 
de  Krijdges  zvrede^  fol.  63. 

Lucernus  said,  '  he  that  commandeth  any  thing,  wherewith 
he  bindeth  the  conscience,  this  is  an  antichrist.*  In  de  Bemise 
disp,  fol.  71. 

King  Charles  the  first,  in  his  book  known  by  the  name  of 
'  The  Royal  Portrait,'  writes  as  followeth  : 

Page  67.  In  his  prayer  to  God,  he  saith,  '  thou  secst  how  much 
cruelty  among  christians  is  acted,  under  the  colour  of  religion  ; 
as  if  we  could  not  be  christians,  unless  we  crucify  one  another.' 

Page  28.  '  Make  them  at  length  seriously  to  consider,  that 
nothing  violent  and  injurious  can  be  religious.' 

Page  70.  ••  Nor  is  it  so  proper  to  hew  out  religious  reforma- 
tions by  the  sword,  as  to  polish  them  by  fair  and  equal  disputa- 
tions, among  those  that  are  most  concerned  in  the  differences, 
whom,  not  force,  but  reason  ought  to  convince* 

4  H 


602  A    CHRlSTlAlJ    PLEA 

*  Suf  e,  in  matters  of  religion,  those  truths  gain  most  upon 
men's  judgments,  and  consciences,  which  are  least  urged  with 
secular  violence,  which  weakens  truth  with  prejudices.' 

Page  115.  'It  being  an  office,  not  only  of  humanity,  rather 
to  use  reason  than  force,  but  also  of  Christianity  to  seek  peace, 
and  ensue  it. 

Page  91,  92.  'In  point  of  true  conscientious  tenderness,  I 
have  often  declared,  how  little  I  desire  my  laws  and  sceptre 
should  intrench  on  God's  sovereignty,  who  is  the  only  king 
of  men's  consciences. 

Page  123.  'Nor  do  I  desire  any  man  should  be  further  sub- 
ject unto  me,  than  all  of  us  may  be  unto  God. 

Page  7&*  '  The  enjoining  of  oaths,  upon  people,  must  needs, 
in  things  doubtful,  be  dangerous,  as  in  things  unlawful  damnable.' 

To  his  son,  the  prince  of  Wales,  he  says,  page  165,  'My 
counsel  and  charge  to  you  is,  that  you  seriously  consider  the 
former  real,  or  objected  miscarriages,  which  might  occasion  my 
troubles,  that  you  may  avoid  them. 

'  Beware  of  exasperating  any  factions,  by  the  crossness  and 
asperity  of  some  men's  passions,  humours  and  private  opinions, 
employed  by  you,  grounded  only  upon  differences  in  lesser  mat- 
ters, which  are  but  the  skirts  and  suburbs  of  religion,  wherein 
a  charitable  connivance,  and  christian  toleration  often  dissipate 
their  strength,  when  rougher  opposition  fortifies,  and  puts  the 
despised  and  oppressed  party  into  such  combinations,  as  may 
most  enable  them  to  get  a  full  revenge  on  those  they  count  their 
persecutors,  who  are  commonly  assisted  by  that  vulgar  commis- 
eration, which  attends  all  that  are  said  to  suffer  under  the 
notion  of  religion. 

Page  116.'  Take  heed,  that  outward  circumstances  and  form- 
alities of  religion  devour  not  all. 

Page  164.  '  Your  prerogative  is  best  shewed  and  exercised  in 
remitting,  rather  than  exacting  the  rigour  of  the  laws,  there  be- 
ing nothing  worse  than  legal  tyranny. 

Page  234.  '  The  best  government  and  highest  sovereignty 
vou  can  attain  unto,  is  to  be  subject  to  God,  that  the  sceptre  of 
his  word  and  Spirit,  may  rule  in  your  heart. 

Page  241.  '  Always  keep  up  solid  piety,  and  those  fundamen- 
tal truths,  which  mend  both  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men,  with 
impartial  favour  and  justice. 

Page  242.  '  My  charge  and  counsel  to  you  is,  that  as  you  need 
no  palliations  for  any  design,  so  that  you  study  really  to  exceed 
in  true  and  constant  demonstrations  of  goodness,  piety  and  vir- 
Uie  (cowards  the  people)  even  all  these  men  that  make  the  great- 
est noise  and  ostentations  of  religion,  so  you  shall  neither  feaif 


AGAINST    PERSECUTIONV  603 

any  detection  (as  they  do  who  have  but  the  mask  of  goodness)     ^ 
nor  shall  you  frustrate  the  just  expectations  of  your  people/  ^ 

In  his  prayer,  page  1,  of  the  same  hook,  he  says,  *0  never 
suffer  me  for  any   reason  of  state,  to  5^0  against  the  reason  of    * 
conscience,  which  is  highly  to  fight  agaiiist  thee,  the    God  of*' 
reason,  and  judge  of  our  consciences. 

Page  121.  '  Break  in  sunder,  O  Lord,  all  violent  confedera- 
tions to  do  wickedly  and  injuriously. 

Page  136.  '  Thou,  O  Lord,  shalt  destroy  them  that  speak 
lies ;  the  Lord  will  abhor  both  the  bloodthirsty  and  deceitful  men. 

Page  164.  'Church  affairs  should  be  managed  neither  with 
tyranny,  parity,  nor  popularity  ;  neither  people  oppressed. 

Page  171.  'Oh,  thou  that  art  the  God  of  reason  and  peace, 
soften  our  hearts  ;  and  persuade  us  to  accept  of  peace  with  thy- 
self, and  both  to  secure  and  preserve  peace  among  ourselves, 
as  men  and  christians  :  condemn  us  not  to  our  passions,  which 
are  destructive  both  of  ourselves  and  others  ;  clear  up  our  un- 
derstandings to  see  thy  truth,  both  in  reason,  as  men,  and  in 
religion,  as  christians.' 


FINI^. 


TO  THE  SUBSCRIBERS, 


Ijt  piresenting  this  work  to  Subscribers,  the  Publisher  returns  his  acknowl- 
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Levi  Nve 


fVilhams'  Collegs.  Arnold  Buffum         Benj.  Greene 

Presidtnt,  Obadiali  M.  Brown  Joseph  A.  Guthrow 


Aaron  Newell 
David  Noble 


Ebenr.  Fitch,  D.  D.  Allen  Bro 

Tutors,  Dav'id  Benedict 

C.  Dewy,  A.  M.      Israel  Bullock 
J.  Nelson,  A.  B,     Jabez  Krown 
C.  Bushnell,  A.  B.  Wheaton  Bragg 
Students.         Cors.  G.  Bowler 
Preserved  Sprague  W.H.  Abercrombie  Jchabod  Brown 
Franklin  Sawyer      James  C.  Allen  Nicholas  Brown 


Timothy  Northam  Abner  Stevens 


Moses  Swift  Solomon  M.  Alien    Ebenezer  Burgess 

Rosewell  Slocking    Chas.  A.  Baldwin    Lewis  Bosworlh 


Deodatiis  Voble 
John  Nichols,  jun 
John  Nichols 
James  Odell 
Garni.  W.  Oliver 
Henry  Oliver 
WiT).  Oliver 
Virus  Osborn 
Jeremiah  Peabody 
Benj.  Pickering 
Nathan  Peabody 
David  Perkins 
Saml.  Punchered 
Oliver  Peabody 
George  Pierce 
Waiter  Phillips 
James  Pratt 
Benj.  H.  Phillips 
Jonathan   Phillips 
James  Purintun 
John  Piuintun 
Abijah  P-.irintun 
John  Peason 
Joseph  Phipps 
Jonathan  Phillips 
Josjah  Parks 
Charle?  Parks 
Joiin  Pheips 
Daniel  Pepoon 
Daviti  Ptrry 


Amos  Squiere 
Thomas  Stebbins 
David  Staples 
Samuel  Smith 
Jesse  Sabin 


Charles  F.  Bates 
Henry  J.  Blake 
Job  Clark 
Elam  Clark 
John  C.  Clark 
Harvey  Coe 


Masa  Bassett 


Geo.  Gavit,  2d 
Mary  M.  Gray 
Stephen  Gano 
Jonathan  Going 
JohH  Goss 
Zephaniah   Graves 
Allen  Gladding 
Benj.  C.Grafton 
John  H.  Greene 
Benj.  Gorham 
Seneca  Greene 


Robert  S.   Babcock  Wm.  C.  Greene 


Wm.  Starkweather  Elisha  Cook 

Davie  Smith  Lewis  Dickinson 

Amos  Sliepardson 

A  masa  Shattuck 

Timothy   Saunders  WilHsm  Eaton 

D-»i'iel  Smith,  jun.  Justin  Edwards 

Benjamin  Smith       Cor.  B.  Everest 


Henry  H«verly  Nich.  R.  Gardner 

Joseph  La  Bruce        Albert  W.  Gardner 
David  Bnffum  Henry  Gardner 

Calvin  Barlow  George  Gavit 

Samuel  Brown  John  Handy 

D.Ciiggeshall  Thomas  Hazard 

Abner  A.  De  Wolf  Samuel  Carr,  jun.    Benjamin  Hall 
Jonathan  Eastman    Benjamin  U.  Carr  N.  Hoppin  &  Son 
Saml.  C.  Caulkings  Martha  Hill 
Geo.  Champlin  Seneca  Hammond 

James  M.  Caslin        Thomas  Hopkins 
John  Cross  Stephen  Harris 

Nathaniel  Crocker  Josiah  Htmiphreys 
Chauncey  Cooley      John  Hawkins 
Benjamin  Corban 
Peter  Carpenter 
Samuel  Carlisle 
Wm.  Church 
ShubaelCady 
Ward  Cowing 
Robert  Cochran 
Henry  Clark 
David  Curtis 
C.  Childs 
Joseph  Cornell 


Philow  Piietibone 

Josiah  B.  Prescott 

Eli  Porter 

Samuel  Porter 

C.  Penniman 

Nathan  Piersori,  jr.  Philip  Wells 

Henry  Pierson  John  Waters 


Daniel   Stow  Salmin  Giddings 

Justus  Smith  Hiram  Hinsdell"^ 

John  J.  Suins  Wm.  D.  Hornett 

Stephen  Sibby  Elisha  Hnbburd 

Henrr  Silsbe  Calvin  Hubbell 

Dani"'  Si'.sbe  Caleb  Hustin 

Henry  Silsbe,  jun.    Charles  Jenkins 

Jo'.in  Tv/umbley         H.  Judd 

John  Tarbell  Silas  Jones 

Jethro  Thatcher      Cyrus  Joy 

Henry  Taylor  Henry  Knapp 

Joseph  T-icker  Charles  Lurned 

Gilfs  Tinker  Samuel  S.  Loomis 

Wm.To.vner  Nich.  M.  Masters 

Josiah  Talmage        Saml.  M.  Mackay   Thomas  Cony 

Caleb  Thurston        Wm.  H.  Maynard    John  Cowen 

Philip  V.N.  Morris  John  Carpenter,  jr.  Wm'.  Jenkins 
James  Nash  Floide  Colhoun  Thomas  J  -nes 

Henry  Y.  Cranston  Hervey  Jenks 
^''  '     '"■  Jer.  F.  Jenkins 

Evan  M.  Johnson 


Joseph  C.  Turner 
Erastus  Tracy 

Ths.  Punderson,  jr.  Saml.  M.  Thurston  Ariel  Otis 

Lemuel  Pomeroy      Jabez  Turner  Job  Pierson  Elisha  Chase 

Hugh  Umprey  Amatus  Robins  Wm.  P.  Carn 

Daniel  Webb  Moses  D.  Robinson  F.  Coggeshall 

Samijel    Worcester  Chas.  F.  Sedgwick  James  Coggeshall 

Stephen  Webb  Geo.  B.  Swildon  Geo.  Clark,  jun. 

Nathl.W.  Williams  Wre.  B.  Stow  James  Center 

E,  M.  'I'ovvnsend  Wm.  Card 


John  Hall 
Wm.  Hardin 
Richard  Hardin 
Silai  Hall,  jutu 
John  Hull 
Chs.  E.  Hoskins 
Dennis  Holland 
John  Irish 
B.  Ingraham 
Jacob  Ide,jun. 
Benjamin  Junes 
Paul  Jewett 
Benj.  James 


H.dder  Wheeler 
Wm.  B.  Whitney 


_  James  Pierson 
Nitlian  Pierson 
Howel  Pierson 
David  Perry 
Moscs  Pip  ley 
James  C.  Peneroy 
A/.ariali  Pratt 
R  ibtrt  L.  Potter 
Georu;e  Pinchon 
Martin  Rnter 
Peter  G.  Robbins 
Thomas  R<  ed 

John  Richards,  jr.  ^exer  Werden 
Jahn  Ross  Elisha  Wells 

David  Rnssel 
^V(Iliam  Russel 
Henry  Rire 
Oliver  Robbins 
Ah  el  arc!  Reynolds 
Abraham  Reed 
Mosrs  Reed 


Samuel  L.  West 
David  Williams 
John  West 
David  Webb 
John  Walton 
Nathl.  Woodward 
John  Winn 
J  )  eph  WhitoB 
Ebenezer  West 
Abel  West 


Wm.  Twining  Tohn  Cross 

S.  Van  Renselaer     John  C.  Chester 
A.   D.  Vanderburg  Wait  Clarke 
Abm.P.  Vosburg      Resolved  Carr 


Moses  Warren 
Joi; .  Woodward 
Cyrus  Yale 

n.  ISLAND. 

W.  Alan,  jun. 
Alin  L.  Almy 
William  Almy 


Lemuel  Chester 
Ruth  Chase 
Elisha  Dyer 
Gn!den  Dearth 
Oliver  Dyer 
Simon  Dean 


James  B.  Kennedy 
Peleg  Kaighn 
John  Lyon 
James  Livingston 
Josh.  H.  Langley 
Josiah  Lawton 
Lucy  Ann  Lippott 
Josh.H.  Langley 
Joseph  Lee 
Joseph  Lyndon 
Samuel  Lee 
Nathl.  Lyndon 
Benj.  Mu'lliken 
Thomas  Messer 
Lewis  Maxsuit 


Henriet.  C.  Downie  Silas  Maxson 
Nehemiah  Dodge      Asa  Messer 
David  Delano 


Christopher  Arnold  James  R.  Docray 

Joseph  Anthony        John  W.  Davis 

Jnmes  Anthony         Th.  Denris.jun. 

Geo.  L.  Atwell         Robert  Dennis 

David  Atwood  Horatio  S.  Dexter     .. 

Johr  P.  Whitmore  Saml   O.Auchmuty  Thomas  Earnsley     Thoc.  H.  Mumford 
S'raeon  Warner       Chrictopner  Almv    Clark  Edwards  Samuel  Merwin 

D.tnnis  ''Vood 
He.rvWisnell 


John  Waterman 
George  Whitman 
John  Whipplr- 


Joseph  R .  Mason 
Henry  S,  Mansfield 
Saml,  B    Martin 
©avid  Mat  ch 
Isaac  Manchester 
Josiah  Murro 


Josiah  d.  Robinson  John  Williams 


Joseph  Raymond 
Abm.  Rockwell 
J.  W.  Robins 
Joh;i  B.  Root 
S'.muel  Stanwood 
Joseph  Scales 
T.  Symonds 
Wm.  SticlLiiey 


Steph  h  Washburn   Jtb^z  R 
James  Warner  Llovd  Beal 

Robert  Watson         ivter  Barker 
Wm.  Warnwripjit  Eliza  Britton 
Dud!-v  Woodworth  Samuel  B-own 
Jdm  Waiting  Benj.  C.  Brown 

J.  Whitrlerev,  iun.  Martin  Iknson 
Daniel.  Young        J\fb5cs  Brown 


topoer  Almy    Clark  Edwards 
Samtiel  Allsn  Cileb  Ear! 

Sr.)n^cl  Albro  Mosf;  F.fldy 

El  z';.  Burlingham  Jobn  Ea^ton 
Mich-cl  Eddy 
Johw  Earl 


James  Fanner 
Catharine  Field 
Ric'r-ird  M.  Field 
James  Field 
J.  Frazer 
f^t.'  Cfate^ood 


Wm.  Munro 
Joanna  F.  De  Mott 
Simeon  Martin 
Lewis  Maxson 
Silas  Maxson 
Wm.  S.  Nichols 
John  T.  Vichuls 
Joseph  Oatley 
Mary  Olney  , 

Wm.  Patten 
Thomas  Per/y 


SUBSCRIBERS^    NAMES. 


David  Peck 
Alvia  Park 
AValter  Paine 
John  Perrin 
Joshua  Perry 
ICarl  Potter 
Joseph  B.  Pettes 
James  B,  Philips 
Prudence  Peckham 
Williuiu   Prior 
Joseph  Pendleton 
Mat.  Robinson 
Heniy  Russell 
Susanna  Rajniar 
Thomas  Haynolds 
John  Riehuiond 
C'harles  Roljy 
P.  P.  Rcmmington 
John  Keed 
Daniel  V.Ross 
Eleazer  Reed,  jun. 
Thonia-.  Sherman 
Jer.  T,  biierman 
AVm.  Sayer 
Christoph.  Starkey 
John  A.  Shaw 
Abial  iiherniin 
Mary  Scarle 
Richird  Smith 
O.  Starkweather 
Sand.  S.Stidwell 
Barnabas  Sceere 
J»»seph  Siixnions 
Sylvester  Sprague 
Abm.  Sherman 
Job  Shearman 
James  SlitrtielJ 
Wm.Stillmaa 
Joseph  Stillman 
James  Sayer 
James  Stutson 
Eleazer  Tribute 
E.  Thompson 
Peter  Taylor 
John  Taylor 
Baiziila  H.  Taylor 
Ichabod  Taylor 
\ViB.  Vernon 
Th.  M.  Venson 
Joshua  Vose 
Benj.  ^'ij^htman 
Stephen  Wilcox 
Ja/flcs  Wilson 
Stephen    Wardwill 
Wm.  Wooilward 
Thomas  Williami 
Peter  Wheelock 
Sanil.  N.  Warner 
James  Wakefield 
Thomas  Williams 
Ji.lin  Ward 
S:»ml.    Whitthorne 
G.  G.  Whitcbornc 
David  Williams 
Stephen   Wilcox 
\\m.  Wilbers 
Jiihn  Young 
Daniel  Young 
Josepii  G.  Young 
J.  Yeomans 

eONSECTlCVT. 

Jane  Atwater 
Chauncey  Arnold 
Eenjanin  Ames 
Levi  Arnold 
Charles  Atwater 
Hez.  Angier,  jun. 
Wm.  ('.  Atwater 
Timothy  Allen 
Naihauiel  Adinu 


Naatnan  Aldrich       Samuel  Driggs 
Ezekiel  E.  Ai  hnan  Grace  Dougal 


Lucius  Atwater 
Elnathan  Atwater 
David  Atwater 
John  C.  Bull 
P.  B.  Boyce 
Joseph  Barber 
Joseph  Bialiop 
Eli  Barns 
Nancy  Bellumy 
Horace  Beach 
Sherman  Blair 
Stephen  Biistul 
W.  Burdick 
John  Bealty 
Elijah  Becbe 
UavidU.  Bcntley 
Moses  Benjamins 
Jeremiah  Brown 


John  Da«getC  Ariel  Hadcock 

Elijah  Davis  Isaac  Hunt 

William  Dai;gett  Joiin  Hannah 

Rapiiael  Dickuison  Asa  Hiichc«ck 

Zina  Dool'.ttle  Allen  Hurd 

George  Dour  Henry  Haugh 

James  R.  Dodge  Dustia  HetkolF 


L. T.F.Huntington  John  M'Carty 
O.  Holme  Michael  Mulvy 


Charles  Dayton 
S.  Dibble 
Geo.  Dwrwell 
Charles  Deway 
Stephen  Deway 
John  Day 


Abel  Hyde 
David  Harris 
Lathrop  Holmet 
Salmon  Hunt 


Ebenezer  Moore 
Saniurl  Mcrwin 
E.  W.  Morse 
Eneas  Munson 
Asa  M'Neil 
Charles  Marshall 
James  Merriman 
Abm.   Merriman 
Benj,  Maxam 
Darius  Mason 
Joel  Mills 


Joshua  P.  Burnharo  George  Elliott 


Benj.    Douglas,  jr.  Reuben  Hills 
Charles  Denison        "         "    " 
Zehulon   Ely 
Benjamin  Ells 
Ezra  S.  Ely 


Decius  Humphreys  Thomas  Mather 
Siiphia  Humphreys  John  Mix 


Elisha  Babcock 
Martha  Bigelon 
Elizabeth  BoUes 
Eleazer  Bidger 
Caleb  Bacon 
Daniel  Baldwin 
Charles  Bostvvick 
Wm.  Barns 
Jarod  Bradley 
Beriah  Bradley 
Natiian  Beers 
Abel  F/urritt,  jun. 
Samuel  Barnet 
A.  F.  Bradfijrd 
Samuel  Beckwith 
Joshua  C.  Burton 
John  Bell 
Henry  Burdrick 
John  Brush 


Thomas  Ellis 
Isaac  Frost 
L.  Fusdirk 
Dennis  Fanning 
John  Forsyth 
Asa  Farwell 
Cole  C.  Filly 
Alanson  Ford 
Joseph  French 
Abm.  C.  Fowler 
Peter  Farnani 
Richard  Ferrin 
Ezekiel  Fuller 
H.  Grannis 
Lydia  Guddard 
George  Gordon 
Th.  H.  Goddard 
Dl.f.  Gladding 
R.  J.  Goodman 


Hannah  Hart 
Roger  Hooker 
Daniel   Hart 
Daniel  D.  Hart 
Jesse  Hart 
Andrew  Hull 
Samuel  Hull 
Polly  Hart 


Titus  Moss 
H.  Mulford 
Henry  May 
Josiah  My  rick 
Setii  Marshall 
A.  Miller 
George  Nichols 
Samuel  Nevins 
Birdsey  Norton 


Josephus  Hotchkys    Wm.  Noves,  jun 


John  Hyde 
John  How 
James  Hitchcos 
Samuel  Higby 
Abm .  Horsford 
Francis  Heare 


Myron  Nurton 
Edward  Nichol 
Thomas  Noyers,  ad 
Jedediah  Norton 
Wm.  Orsball 
David  L.  0'>den 


Joseph  Huntington  Naihl.  Olmstead 
Levi  Ives  David  L.  Perkins 


Nehcmiah  Bradley  John  Graves,  2d 
Theodore  Burrell     James  Gilbert 


Wm.  Bordman 
Martin  Benson 
Josiah  Buckwith 
Samuel  Bishop 
John  Bell 
John  Chester 
Edward  B.  Cook 
Alerius  Bull 
George  Chandler 
Charles  Carcw 
Nathl.  Chapman 
L.  H.  Cobb 
Benj.  Craraton 
Christopher  Colt 


George  Criswold 


Eli  Ives 
Enoch  ives 
George  Irish 
Richard  Imlay 
Reuben  E.  Ives 
Stephen   Ives 
Martha  Ingersoll 
Amos  Johnson 
Levi  C  Judson 
N.  Jack':on 


Newman  Greenleaf  Jones  &  Dunn 


Joshua  A.  Gone        Peter  Johnson 
Elias  Gilbert  Simeon   Jones 

Amos  Goodsell  Isaac  Jones 

Leveret  Gorham        Walter  KiHg 
Jacob  G.>odsell 
PaulC.Grimball 

Jona.  Goodrich  Linus  Kimberiy 

Moies  Goodman         J,  Kinne 
Ch.rle-s  Gilbert         Philo  Kibborn 
Seth  Gwdman  John  Kinney 

John  Garnis  Charles  B.  Lines 

Sauil.  Goodyear        Amos  Leich 
Aiph?-us  Chapman     Charlotte  Glenny      Gerard  Lathrop 
Aaron  Chapin  John  Hinsdale 

Corming  Sc  Bu!kley  Ch.     H'^quembourg  James  Low 
Cynthia  Church        J.  W.  Harrison  Samuel  Langdon 

George  Catlin  Dl.  B.  Hempsted       Nehemiaii  Lovell 

Joseph  Coe  James  N.  Hyde         John  Lnngworthy 

John  Carrington       Sally  Huntington       Benjamin  Lines 
Peter  W.  Clark        Ei  zabeth  H..lbro<-k  Jo£hua  Loveil 
Joim  C<iok,  jun.         Theo.  Humphreys     Jusiah  Laurence 
Wm.  Crocker  Sarah  Hawks  Rn.weli  Lee 

Alfred  Cowles  Ephraim  Holli.-ter     Elisha    Leer 

Elijah  Cowlei  Maria  Hipkir.s  Jame";  Loomis 

ZenoCiiwIes  Catirarine  Hopkins  Roger  Leonard 

Daniel  Clark  James  H.irrison  Rhoda  Lewis 

Nathl.  Cluck  Benj.  C.  Hdbbard     Nancy  Lewis 

Jonathan  Coeyr        Noruian  Hayden 
David  Coe  Siephen  Hug^ins 

Seth  Doud  Harli  y  Hrx-k'T 

John  Davis  James  S.  Huggins 

Thoma*  Doagal        Sidtiry  Hull 
John  Denulson  Ehen.  Hoggins,  jr, 

B.  Daviion,  jun.        Eli  HoCjhkiss 
Nehemiah  Dodge      Ezra  Hott  iikiss 
John  G.  Davii  Timo'hy  Mall 

Daniel  Danforth        Wyllys  Hotchkisj 


Rtbekah  DLimun^  Eli  Hqmutoa 


El«-azer  Porter 
Wm.  Parker 
GaJ  Peck 
L.  Peck 
Joseph  Potter 
Gen.  L.  Perkins 
Augustus  Perkins 
Naihan  Perkins 
Anionly  PhelpS 
C.  !,.Pcr'er 
Walter  Phelps 
Ruth  Patien 
John  Payre 
Prinu  &  Bradley 
_  Levi  Parrot 

Andr- w  Kinj^sbury  Hezekiah    Pierpont 
Forbes  Kyle,  jun.     Timothy  Plant 
Peter  H.  Pond 
J.  B.  Peek 
Averv  Presron 
Wm.' Peckham 
Jacob  Penc.yer 
Samuel  Pardee 
Daniel  Patchen 
Saml.  L.  Lockwood  Nathaniel  i»eck 
Zilpha  Pardee 
David  Parsons 
Joel  Pomeroy 
Tostph   Put 
Scrina  Pitiibone 
Otis  Preston 
Sidnev  Povter 
Dan-el  Pralt 
S.  Porter 
N.  Ph.elps 
Orren  Pearl 
Srth  Peck 
P.  W,  Perit 
Hezekiah  Peck 
M  cliael  Peck,  JTJit, 
CalebP.Piik  II 
Jos.  j.   Prufldeo 
Catharine  Pond 
Baldwin. P:«r>d.&Co 
Ehazer  Pardee 
Jona.   philips,  jun. 
Warner  Pierce 
Solomon  Philips 
JonasPowcl 


Eiekirl  Lovejoy 
l^orram  L'mmis 
Claressa    Morgan 
Ether  Mi  rgan 
Tliau>.nil  Morgan 
Sainut  I  Min,  jun. 
Hosea  Min,  jun. 
Medad  Meeker 
Andrew  Mark 
Georgf  Miles 
Abel  M'E«efi 


subscribers'  names 


Samuel  Penayer 
Abm.  Pierce 

Th  mas  Pierce 
Jjsepli  Pierce 
Jonathan  Palmer 
Henry  Rwberts 
Mac.  T.Russell 
Josiah  Riigers 
Reuben  Rice 
Nancy  Rhodes 
Gurdon  C.  Robins 
Geo.  S.  Rarhbone 
Witthn.p    Ro'jeacs 
G.  N.  Raymond 
Henry  Rossiior 
Jacob  Rockwell 
Tlion.as  Rhodes 
John  Robertson 
Mi!()  Root 
Sarah  Root 
Abiiam  Ring 
Gideon    Roberts 
Elijah  R.  gers 
Sylvester  Roper 
Naihaniel  R -per 
Amos  Roberts 
Tiniotliv  Stillman 
Win.Slielden 
Charles  Seabury 
Rachel  Starr 
I.  B.  Sheffield 
Jonathan  Sizer 
Jonn  Sreiry 
Smith  ifc   Brumley 
Spencer  &   Gilniau 
Henry  Shepard 
John  H.Stone 
Wm.  Siiepard 
Moses  Stewart 
Samuel  Spalding 
\Vm.  Scott 
Samuel  Sacket 
Joiin  Skintier 
James  Stillman 
G.  Schellenger 
%Vm.  Stone 
Gad  Sranlr  y 
David  Smith 
Alex.  SUinner 
Ethan  SiPith 
Luiiis  Seymour 
Timw.hj  Sedi^wick 
Wm.  SerlE^wick 
Pomroy  Strong 
Norris  Stanley 
ESienezer  Scott 
Daiiiel  Smith 
Samuel  Slafcer 
^vhitinn:  Stanley 
AVm,  Smith 
Strong  Miles,  &  Co. 
Ji)Nf  pii  Shove 
Patty  Seely 
Samuel  Seely 
J.  S.  T.  Sutton 
Daniel    Sutron 
\Vm.  Talcott 
Samuel  Tripp 
John  Tyler 
Jonathan   Truman 
David  Thomas 
Solon.on  Taylor 
Henvv  Tn.wbridge 
%Vni.  Townsenil 
Wm.    Trovybrid<;e 
\V.  E.  Thompson 
Amos  Treat 
Jonathan  Taylor 
\\m.   A.  Taylor 
Jonn.  Thomi)fion 
Daniel  Tillotson 
J.TljQirpsQn,juii 


Rarcbel  Todd 
Eh jah  Treat 
Avis  Turner 
Hez.  P.   Ufford 
Isaac  Upson 
Thomas  Upf<)rd 
George  White 
Luzon  Whitney 
Samuel  W^esc 


Jeremiah  Anderson 
Samuel  Adams 
Richard  Alhy 
Reuben  Abby 
James  Abbo  t 
William  Ashley 
Hubby  Adee 
Alice  Abbatt 
Garret  AdrJance 


Saml .  Whittemore  Ezekiel  Angell 
Alvan  Wilcox  Jedia!-.  Allen 

Henry  Ward  John  1.  A!!en 

James  B.  Weight    Nathaniel  Arnold 
Jacob  Ward  George  Ancrevine 

James  Wiute  Philip  Allen 

Wm.  Wait  Benj.  B.  Adams 

Amos  Wheeler         Elijah  I.  Abbatt 
Solomon   Wincgen  J.,hn  Adamson 
H.  E.  Wilder  Frederick  Austin 

B.  H.  N^'iUon  Obadiali  Andrus 

Daniel  Werrel  Moses  Austin 

Noariiaii  Wooo'ruS  Asa  Andrews 
Polly  Whitman        Robert  Abbott 
Luke  Wadsworth     Jacob  Bad>;ley 
Benj.  Wheeler  Daniel  Boyd 

KeiM-y  Whitman  John  Birdsall 
Z.  Whitmg  James  Bingham 

Simon  Waterman  James  Bioiiks 
Sopbiah  Woodri.ft'  Henry  Burdan 
Joel  Welton  Jonathan  Brooks 

Barnab.  W^oodcock  |gred  Beach 
Abm.  H.  D.  White  Thomas  Bloodgood 


Benj.  Whitin<^ 
John  Whiting 

KEW-l^ORK. 

Priscilla  Akerly 
William  Acheson 
Jolm  Allen 
William  Allen 
Joseph  Atkii 


Betts  &  Thomas 
John  M.  Bruce 
Robert  Brwce 
L.  S.  Burling 
Jeremiah  Barnliart 
Robrrt  Flair 
Stephen  S.  Band 
Lewis  Barrett 
Absalom  Barrett 
Nicholas  Baker 


John  A.  Anderson   Daniel  Butler 


Philip  I.  Amigh 
Peter  G.  Amigh 
John  G,  Amigh 
R.  Adriance 
Jacob  Aciriance 
Peter  Angevine 
Jolin   Anthony 
Jared  Andreuss 
John  Allen  jun. 
John  Ajersjun 
John  Anderson 
William  Anthony 


Luther  Brown  ill 
R.  V.  D.  Burgh 
Amos  F.  Boy  an 
John  Brill 
Peter  Brill  jun. 
Villerov  Beers 
Eljsha  Boulding 
George  BrinkerhofT 
Nathaniel  Berry 
Underbill  Budd 
Benjamin  Bowne 
,  ,  ,    ,         .  Jopepli  Bunonghs 

Ashbel  H.  Andrews  John  N.  Baley 
T.  . ._  M.i  Andrew  BrocmSt Id 


Peter  Abbey 
Ril  y  Allcox 
Alansi.n  Austin 
John  Abeel 
Mary  Ashley 
Ames  Corwin 
Richard  Allison 
James  Ailison 
Rob'  rt  Andersun 


Robert  R.  Brett 
jBhn  Bedford 
James  Broomfield 
N.  Barton 
Hu:'h  Buchanan 
William  Beatty 
John  Brown 
Th«>mas  Bradshiw 


Alexan,  Anderson    John  M.  Bradford 


John  Ayrs 
Wm.  Anthony 
James  Aiuler^on 
David  Andress 
Eo'is  Alley 
R<nal  Aldridge 
Stephen  Alien 
Elizibeth  Avery 
Jesse  Afiams 
Stephen  Amlei-on 
Israel  Anderson 
David  Adf^e 
Josiah  Archer 
James  Angevine 
Elisha  Allen 
Jfi.  Abercronibie 


John  Boardman 
Robert  R.  Brower 
Roherr  Boyd 
Peter  Boyd 
Jar(  b  Barney 
M.  &  r.  Bntcheldor 
N.  R.  Bassett 
Eiislia  Brumon 
Jnn^es  Brown 
J'  seph  Frintnal 
Gad  B.  Bfunet 
Jacob  Bi  lop 
Edmund  H.  Bluli 
Harris  Burr 
Bissel  Burr 
Eliza  Burr 


Amarilles  Burr 
Am  s  Beach 
Wm.  Us  own 
D.  Brooks 
Daniel  Burton 
John  Buchannan 
Moses  Burt 
Luthe    Babbit 
James  M'Hean 
John  Bronri 
William  Beaty 
William  Burger 
James  Bell 
Patrick  Blain 
W.  H.  Bridges 
John  B'  aldman 
Cornt:;;us  Bogardus 
David  Boyd 
Daniel  Bull 
Zina  Beardsley 
Cadwalader  Bull 
Wm.  Bnokstaver 
David  Belknap 
Ann  Burrows 
John  Bowen 
Abm.  Beach 
>Vm.  O'Brien 
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Freeman  Bishop 
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Thomas  Buckley 
S.A.Burtus  25  cop. 
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Juda  Bruce 
Wm .  Brien 
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James  Brown,  jun. 
W'illiam  Buitre 
Wm.  W.  Berwick 
Jacob  Browner 
John  A.  Blauvelt 
Abm.  Bogert 
Caleb  W.  Baldwin 
David  Brown 
Simon  Baker 
Frederick  Biemlee 
Henry  Bai  tholf 
James  Bartholf 
Thomas  Belch 
John  Berry 
Edmund  Barford 
John  Barrow 
Wm.  Beaty 
St.N.  Byard 
James  Billens 
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John  Blades 
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Thomas  Brown 
Pai  thena  Brown 
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Samuel  Burling 
Richard  Burling 
Stephen  Barnes 
Jonah  Briuidage 


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Henry  Barker 
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Jolm  Bonnett 
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Willett  Bowne 
Ann  Bowne 
James  Byrd 
Lester  Beebee 
James  Bertine 
Thomas  Bidell 
Isaac  Bishop 
Bedjamin  BrigfS 
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Caleb  Braley 
Valentine  Baker 
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Luke  W.  Barton 
Alareus  Bull 
John  Brown 
Isaac  Belknap 
Benjamin   Bualing 
MaryC.   Bowman 
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Jonathan  Birdsall 
Solomon  Birdsall 
Wm.  Baker 
Wm.  Bedell,  jun. 
Wm.  Birdsall 
Henry  Barm  ore 
Abraham  Bedell 
David  Bedell 
Cornelius  Brown 
Caleb  Brown 
Samuel  Bushnell 
Stephen  Brown 
Abel  Bowen,  jun. 
Benj.  Bo)'ce 
Luther  Bingham 
Francis  Bunker 
Richard  Barnes 
Truman  B:ackncjr 
Asa  Bement 
Asahel  Byington 
Reuben  Baniow 
Jared  Bradley 
Nathaniel  Bishop 
Wm.    Bjt'tlet 
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Thomas  Bachus 
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Nathaniel  Barker 
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Samuel  Bsrlden 
John  Barieht:  jun, 
John  Bf-adle 
W«.  Bell 
Henry  Boreman 
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Caleb  Barnham 
Isaac  Boyce 
ThomasBenham 
Ebenezer  Boyce 
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Salmin  Bostwick 
George  Barker 
Amos  B'eeker 
Abnerr  Bnrnham 
Abm.  Bleeker 
Stephen  Band 
Kellogg  Berry 
Edmund  Bemen£ 
Seih  Barden 
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William  Birdsall 


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Christian  Christ       Charles  B.  Ceftin 
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Townsend  &  Fuller  Levi  Car]>enter 
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\Villi;<m  UuningtoR  Jeremiah  Doty 
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R'bt.H. Cumming    Nathan  Coleman 
Josiah  Cox  Eunice  Cottin 

Chr.  Codwise  Thaddeus  Coleman 

Henry  Covenhoven   Samuel  Crandel 


Henry  Cole 

Amos  Corning 

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R.  fc  1.  Cahwon 

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David  Cole 

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Mary  Cottela 

John  Ciougli 

jijtin  Cniger 

Moses  Coe 

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R.  Chamberlain 

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Wm.  H.Cornell 

Stephen  Cornell 

Piiilip  Caverly 

Jo 'ill  W.  Cornell 

Benjamin  Cornell 

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Thoma.sI.  Cornell  Samuel  Cai.field 

Elisi.a    Carpenter     J-  Canfield 

Jacob  Carpenter       Jos<-p''  Crane 

Wm.    Carpenter       Fames  Collins 

John  Carpenter         T.   Chittenden,  jr 

Thomas  Carpenter  ^iatl'^niel  Cowles 

l.-aac  Cir^tpnrer         J"l'"  Cu  i.ii.ar 

Joseph   CoTuwall      Jo'i"  Caihaw 

John  Cromwell  Reuben  Close 

Al  len  Crosman  ''eter  N .  Card 

NsthanielC.Cbrk  ^oah  Cwk 

Thomas  Clapp  Kenj.  H.  Conklin 

Bei.j.Caipenter        Amos  Cock 


Barnabas  Coleman 
Ezekiel  Clark 
Stephen  Crundel 
Matihew  Cadwell 
Francis  Clark 
Timothy   Crundcll 
Oliver  Collins 
Ward  Cotton 
Nathan   Crosswell 
Samnel  Cogswell 
Nathan  Chapin 
DariuB  Carroll 
Jabez  Colt 
Samuel  Curtis 
Wni.  Constable 
Joshua  Coll  ins 
Joshaa  Collins,  jr. 
John  Conner 
William  Creed 
Th.  Cassey,  jun. 
John  P.  Clark 
Wn'.  Cror.khite 
Murray  L.  Cutter 
Giffbid  CJlins 
Solomon  Cook 
Silas  Calkins 
Eliphalet  Clark 
Israel  Camp 
Jonathan    Clawson 
Daniel  Clark 


Stephen  Dorh 

John  Duftield 

Jonas  Denton 

David  D.  Long 

Tamar  Dennis 

Jonathan  Dennis 

John  Dennis 

T.  E.  Doughty 

John  Doughty 

Wm.  Doughty 

Thomas  Doughty 

Jacob  Doughty 

C(nnell  Doughty 

James  Durland 

Gilbert  Denniston 

Daniel  Dean 

oimeon  Dewitt 

Ephraim  Dewitt 

Philip  W.  Deforest  John  English 

Nathaniel  Davis       John  Ebbetts 

John  F.  Doty 

James  Daniel 

Andrew  Delainane 

William  Dunlap 

William  Delvin 

William  H.  Duree 

Peter  Dean 

David  G.  Drake 

Daniel  Denton 


Geo.  Dour 
Jas.  R.  Dodge 
Martin  Doughty 
Hugh  M.  Donald 
Joseph  Dean  3  cop. 
Gilbert  DeSn 
William  Egbert 
Cath.  A.Eldridge 
Adam  Empie 
John  H.  Emigh 
Jesse  Everett 
Abraham  Eights 
Petci  E.  Elmendorf 
Eb.  S.  Edgarton 
Daniel  Edge 
Enos  Egejton 
William   Elliot 
Edward  Ely 


William  Edgar 
Janus  M.  Elliott 
Daniel  Edwards 
Effingham  Embf^ 
Job'.  Everitt 
John  J.  Everts 
Srephen  Ely 
William  Ely 
JoIin  A.  Elliott 


Bowdewine  Decker  t'amphelj  &^  Elliott 
William  D«-iker 
George  Davidson 


Haraliah  CarUart 
Re.,i)ei.  C.e 
Jusiah  Carpenter 
Samocl    Carpenter 


David  Cle 
JacebiiS  D.Clark 
Thomas  C'imstiu  k 
Gilbert  Carpenter 


Crawtl.rd  &  Snifiin   R"l>crt  Carpenter 


Hainuh  Cornell 
Jo»a.  Carpenter 
Elijah  CiHner 
Allen  Clapp 
John  Clap,) 
Henry  Cornell 
Joshia  Cornell 
Bfnj.  C(ck 


L:rv    Ci.ck 
Ptter  Dewitt,  jun. 
Cynthy  Dally 
O'iiiier  De  Lancey 
Jiistis  Dearman 
■|  homas  Dawson 
J  hn  Dewitt 
Malt.  Daniel,  jun. 


Oii.  Ciiecshorough   Ann  Day 
Caleb  Carman  Benj.  De  F  rest 

Jam^sCHvel  A.  D=  Forest 

4    I. 


S;\muel  S.  Elliott 
Eli  Ensign 

E.  Diiyckinck  50  c.  Thomas    Eckrrson 

Beiij.  Demarest 

Henry  Dean 

Joseph  Dorrnin 

Fraiic)>  Doremus 

Robert  Oingte 
Wm.    Dealing 

James  Donaldson 

Jdm  Darby 

Abm.  DeBann 

Francis  Davis 

Jacob  Day 

Thoma'  Davis 

Wm.  Doi.ald 

Joseph  Drinker 

Thomas  Doxie 

Abm.  Dnry-a 

John  Derrig 

Elizabeth  Doty 

N.  Davenport 

Jarvis  Dosenberry 

Henry  Disbrov/ 

Samuel  Dead 

Samuel  Dick 

Benjamin  Drake 

Henry  D  ckiuion 

Isaac  Dickinson 

Geo.  Dillincham 

Alex.  Oennison 

John  Dubois 

Chs.  Dibenberry 

James  Divens 

Abi:'.ail  DwigUt 

John  Dresser 

Samuel  Dewy 

lohn  Darri»w 

Peter  P.  D  X 

Jonathan  D<-:>n 

Allen  Doughty 

Maithew  Dobiiis 

Samuel  Dyiiglity 

Wm.  Doughty 

Sila-  Downing 

^ilkcrt  Dtan 


Luke  Eckerson 
Nichatas  H.  Emigh 
David  Fish 
Nathaniel  Fish 
William  Flagler 
John  Fv nek 
Isaac  Frost 
Zacharias  Flagler 
Philip  Flagler 
Harmony  Formaii 
John  Fryer 
Benj.  W.  Ford 
Grove  Foot 
Robert  Forester 
Jaliez  F:.ot 
Alex.  Ferguson 
Charles  Fowler 
Elijah  Fowler  " 
Robert  Forrest 
Sa.fl  uel  Falconer 
G?rge  Ferpuson 
Alexander  Fairly 
Th.  Fulherhame 
John  Ford 
Benjamin  Ferris 

Janifs  Fennel 

John  Fuller 

Henry  Fist 

Samuel  Frost 

Sands  Ferris 

John  Feaks 

Han.iali  Fisher 

Clorai  or  Frankliti 

York  Fleminter 

John    Flandra 

Jns.  Flan^rau,  jr. 

Joshua  Fowler 

Aaron  Field 

William  Field 

Merrev  F^eld 

Uriah  Field 

Jisiah  Field 

t9C9rg€  Freeman 


subscribers'  names. 


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Isaac  Flagler 
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John  Ferguson 
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John  Ilunn 
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Uriah  Hd! 
Robert  Hawke 
Townsend  Hul'bs 
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Samuel  Hubbs 
lohn  C.  Jlolmes 
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Richard  Hunt 
Lott  Hunt 
Stephen  IJtmt 
Oliver  floft'iwan 
Ben.  Haviland 
Ira  ilolmes 
Jami  s  llawkshur?t 
Christopher  Ilubbs 
John  Hoi  ton 
Philemon  Halsted 
Ezekiel  Halsted 
Wm.  Havi  and 
Thomas  Iluggeford 
Je  emiah  Ilorton 
Daniel  Iliight 
Abraham  Horron 
Abijah  Haviland 
Daniel  Ilath'eid 
Joseph  HatHeld 
Gilbert  Hatfield 
Richard  HattieU 
John  Horton 
Timorliy  Hunt 
Israel  Hunt 
A.  B.   Havdand 
John  M.  Hew.rt 
Natliai.'ie!  Holley 
Roe  Havilan  * 
Stephen  Hoxie 


Richard  Harris 
Jesse  Hallock 
R  chard  Hallock  jr. 
Elislia  Hammond 
Josepn  Horton 
Samuel  Holstead 
Henry  Hunter 
Winthrop  Hoag 
Abraham  Hoag 
Fred.  Harrisoa 
Thomas  H'Cks 
Arcovcster  Hamlin 
Zebina  Handerson 
Abm,  Holdridge 
W.  Hoffman 
Jonathan  Hi'ag 
Elijah  Hulbert 
John  S.  Hi^pkins 
Amos  P.  Hall 
Luke  Hill 
Joseph  Howland 
Justus  H in  man 
John  Honsey 
Augustin  Hay  den 
John   Hagerman 
Wil'iam  Holden 
Leonard  Herrick 
N.  B.  H.ibbell 
Joseph  E.  Haff 
Richard  Haight 
Eoenezer  Haight 
David  Haight 
Obadiah    Haight 
John  Haight,  jun. 
Robert  Haight 
Roswell  Herrick 
Charles  Howland 
Jf-reniiah  Howland 
William  Hutching 
James  Holmes 
Leonard  Haight 
Ebenezcr  Hurd 
Isaac  Huestis 
Rinard  Hopper 
Henry  Hendrix 
Zebulou  Houston 
John  Hudson 
Abm.  A.  Herring 
Caleb  Horton 
Gilead  Honeywell 
San  ford  Hoag 
Walrer  Haight 
Eliab  Hoag 
John  Hoag 
James  Haight 
James  Hunter 
Moses  Haight 
Lodlow  Haight 
Isaac   Hutchinson 
Mott  Hicks 
William  Harrison 
Cath.  Harrison 
Henry  Hinsdale 
Ja(  ob  Hallock 
John  Hull,  jun. 
Robert  Hunt 
Thomas  Holmes 
David  Haius 
Sarah  Hunt 
Tlioinas  Humphres 
Gilbert  Hathaway 
Halted  &  Horton' 
Ezekiel  Halsted 
Josluia  Ha' Held 
Jonathan  Hngeland 
James  Hi iJvvell 
Humpliry   Howland 
Sanuiel  Hake 
Seth  Hast 
Benj.  D.  Hasbrook 
Foster  Hallock 
Joseph  Horton 


Thomas  Havens        Claries  Kniffin 
Richard  Harcourt    Frederick  Knap 
Alexander  Hunter    Patty  King 
Adam  Hibler  John  Keache 

Charlotte  Hopkins  James  Kane 
Richard  Harding      S.  Kellogg 


George  Knower 
Nathaniel  King 
John  Kuling 
John  Keachie 
Larius  Kingsbury 
Josiah  Kitchel 
G.  A    Kuypers 


Samuel  Haviland 

John  Hayt 

William  Howel 

D.  Hathaway 

Elliot  Hopkins 

Christian  Huston 

James  Hazen 

Narhaniel  Harcourt  Eli  Knapp 

Thaddeus  Halt         Muria  Kidney 

Henry  Howard 

Jeremiah  Haxton 

Peter  Hall 

Benjamin  Hall 

William  G.  Hall 

Stephen  Halsted 

William  Haxton 

Edward  Hunting 

Ephraim  Hough 


Isaar.  Hutton 
James  H(>dge 
Garret  Hyer 
A.  Hun 
Amos  P.  Hall 
R.  Henry 
Arthur  Hotchkiss 


James  Kettham 
Edward  Kemeys 
Richard  Kaven 
Jonah  Kellogg 
Israel  Ketcham 
Nehemiah    Knight 
Rosewell  Kinne 
Caleb  Kirby 
Abm.  Kniffen 
Daniel  K.nowlton 
Renj  .Lowerre 
John  Lush 
James  H.  Lyon 
Wm.  D.  Lazcll 
Michael  Lowber 
John  H.  Lawrence 


George    Humphrey  Dickspn  Lewis 


John  Hackney 
William  Hegartis 
Harriet  Hillhouse 
Pelatiah  Hayden 
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George  Howell 
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John  Insley 
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Thomas  Jenkins 
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Winton  Jenks 
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John  Johnson 
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DaviaJ  Jacocks 
Joseph  Jacocks 
Wm.  T,  Jacocks 


Thomas  Lincoln 
Joseph  Labbrey 
William  Lockwooji 
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Valentine  Lewis 
Macajah  Lewis 
Peter  Lossing 
Joseph  Lancaster 
Henry  Lossing 
Thomas  Lamorn-A* 
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Henry  R.  Lansing 
P.  Lausing 
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Elias  Lasill 
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Levy  Leray 
Isaac  Ledyard 
Robert  Loague 
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John  Liddle 
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George  Leslie 
James  Little 


Towfwend  Jackson  William    Lawrence 


Jacobus  Jersey 
Abigail  Joiies 
Stephen  Jarvis 
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Henry  Johnson 
P. Johnson 
Joseph  I.  Jackson 
William  JacksoH 
Cornelius  Jacobs 
John  Jarvis 
Isaac  Johnson 
Dave>  Joyce 
Lydia  Ju.is(;n 
Benj.  Jackson 
John  Joimson 
Michael  A.  Jones 
Clulow  Jackson 
David  Khig 
Daniel  Kevt 
Uavtd  R.  Krj:t 


Charles  Lindsey 
I.  H.  Livingston 
William  Lawson 
Hezekiah  Lord 
R.  R.  Lawrence 
John  B.  Lars  ng 
B.  Livingston 
D.  Lynch 
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Samuel  Lyons 
Anthoiiv   LiH:kman 
Wm.  L.  Lawrence 
John  Lenon 
John  Lee 
Th.T.  Loomis 
Robert  Lane 
Garret   Loz'er 
George  Lewis 
Abm.  D.  Lent 
Daniel  Lattin^ 


SUBSCRIBERS*   J^AMES. 


"Wiza  Lewis 
Peter  Lorrilard 
David  Lalbrge 
Gilbert  Lewii 
Aug.  Lawrence 
John  Le  Count 
Edward  Lee 
Jolin  Lawrence 
Samuel  Lyon 
Andrew  Lyon 
Hyatt  Lyon 
Th.  P.  Lawrence 
Josepli  Lawrence 
Henry  Lawrence 
Walker  Lyon 
Edw.  Lawrence 
Benjamin  Li>k 
John  Loines 
Samuel  Logan 
James  Lnou 
Henry  Ludlow 
Jedediah  Lincoln 
ilenry  Lixirtaken 
James  Losi 
Thomas  Lake 
David  Lawt:;n 
Wm.  Lathro.^ 
Ilez.  O.  Lathrop 
Mary  M\.'ieed 
Robert  Moore 
Hugh  M'Lead 
Aaron  Murehwuse 
Neil  A.  M'K.innon 
Jacob  Milli-r 
Mary  M'Cammon 
Jonathan  Mundon 
George  Miulder 

iamesM'Carter 
►anicl  Murray 
Richard  Mabbatt 
Charles  Millard 
Charles  Merritt 
Peter  M'Lees 
Adam  Montross 
Increase  Mills,  jr. 
James  Maillur 
Andrew  M'Kearlie 
John  M'Ke 
Gilbert  M'Master 
Thos.  M'Clumpha 
Alexander  Miller 
Fred.G.  Mayer 
John  M'Dona'ld 
John  M,  Michael 
David  Maron 
David  M'Klnstry 
John  Morr«-ll 
SeUh  Mapes 
N.  G.  Minturn 
Saml.  M'Kenny 
Stepiien  M 'Crane 
John  M'Coun, jun. 
Cyrus  Mann 
EllplialerMott 
W'ni.  J.  M'Cai  tie 
William  Marvin 
Matliu  &  Thorn 
Samuel  M'EIroy 
Samuel  Monis 
Joshua  NLirsh 
Willard  Miller 
Gtiirge  M'f^ueen 
George  M'Gowen 

iarne^  Murray 
,ydia  Moore 
jbiin  M'C  UMipha 
John  M'Call.nn 
Male  !ni  M'Farlin 
A'cxsidc;-  Murray 
Jo-hn  M 'Masters 
Joiiu  M'Geaclp 


John  Millery 
Andrew  M'Torbie 
John  M'Thie 
John  M'Farland 
James  Maxwell 
John  Maxwell 
Thomas  M 'Clump 
John  Milmie 
George  M'William 
Peter  M'Intosh 
David  C.  Miller 
Samuel  Miller 
John  Moliher 
Alex.M'Leod 
R.  Mill'-doler 
Edward  Madan 
John  M'lntire 
Collin  M 'Arthur 
Th.  M'Creem 
John  Moneypenny 
Phlneas  Mundy 
Charles  Miller 
William  Martin 
E|)hraim  Marsli 
John  Moore 
Garret  Myer 
Eleanor  Moore 
Chri?.  Metkles 
P.  M'Donough 
Aaron  Marsh 
David  P.  Mandevill 
Jo^in  Mustard 
Jamef  Mills 
John  M 'Mullen 
Josepi)  Meeks 
Richard  Mott 
Adam  Mott 
William  Mead 
Ann  Maria  Marsh 
Samuel  Mott 
Abijah  Morgan 
John  Merritt,  jun. 
Andrew  Merritt 
Jane  Miller 
Isaiah  Maynard 
Joseph  Merritt 
James  Merritt 
Wm.  Marthews 
James  M'Gowan 
Charles  M'DonaJd 
Caleb  Merritt 
Arch.  M'Donald 
Benj.  ilaitland 
lames  Morgan 
Robert  Morrell 
Nehemiah  Merrill 
John  S.  Myers 
Jesse  Makeel 
Peter  Miller 
Nathaniel  Montross 
Thomas  M usher 
Jacob  Make  11 
Nathaniel  Merritt 
Samuel  Mcker 
Han  nail  M 'Colon 
Lydia  Mann 
Coiiklin  Miller 
Richard  Macy 
Robert  Macy 
John  Macy 
J.  -eph  M'K.nowen 
C.  M'Kin»irv,  jun, 
David  L.  M'Kinstry 
Consider   Morgan 
Anne  Morgan 
Dexttr  Mason 
James  Marbey 
Stephen  Marshall 
Caleb  Master 
James  Marshall,  jr. 
Unm  M'Donald 
Ebenezer  Mott 


Whiting  Mann 
John  Meninid 
Abraham  Morey 
James  Morey 
Thomas  Mygate 
Phineas  Martin 
John  Myer 
John  Myer,  jun. 
Edom  Myer 
Garret  Myer 
8imuel  Mott 
Samuel  Meeker 
Jesse  Merritt 
Tripp  Meshcr 
Gideon  Mott 


Joanna  Pearcc 
John  Perrot  "■ 

William  Prince 
James  Purdy 
Peter  Pettet 
Francis  Pill 
David  Purdy,  jun. 
Sanniel  Peters 
Thorn  Pudney 
Robert  Palmer 
Winslow  Page 
David  Peryn 
Eleazar  Piatt 
E.  Pemberton 
Giles  W.  Porta 


Hugh  Montgomery  Thomas  Paskel 


Peter  Mirest 
James  D.  Mirest 
Jacobui  D.  Mn  est 
David  B.  Mirest 
Caleb  Merritt 
Jesse  Marshall 


Andrew  Proudfet 
Moses  Platt 
Jesse  Potter 
William  Priestly 
John  Polly 
Daniel  Poppeno 


William  Mathews    John  Piersonde 


Gideon  Nichols 
William  Nichols 
Freelove  Nichols 
John  Noxin 
Jsaa»  Nelson 
Samuel  Niles 
J.  Nelson,  2  cop. 
Ciiarles  Newbold 
John  Nicoll 
Aaron  Nash 
John  Negus 
James  Nimmo 
Patrick  Niblo 
Ebenr.  Nicker  son 
George  Newbold 
James  Nash 
Robert  Nesbit 
Richard  Newal 
Nicholas  Nelson 


Robert  Perry 
Wm.  Parkiiison 
Phinehas  Peek 
Thomas  Pope 
Albert  Picket 
Robert  Prrine 
Mary  Prowitt 
Silas  Pear-all 
William  Pit-as 
Aaron  H.  Palmer 
Joshua  Pine 
William  Pojnts 
John  Pease 
Philip  Pell 
Lewis  Pintard 
^Villiam  Pinkney 
Micajah  Pinkney 
James  Pine 
IDavid  Purdy 


Elijah  P«:k 
A.  E.  Peters 
Henry  PearsaU 
John  Pearsall 
Chester  Parsons 
James  Pugsley 
Elihu  Paine 
Ann  Qiiimby 
Peter  Queaureaii 
Luke  C.  Quick 
H.Qiiackenbush 
Nichiijass  Rome 
John  B.  Reyrolda 
Stewart  Robinson 
Simon  Righardsoii 
Abraham  Remson 
Richard  Risley 
William  Rague 
Francis  Ra)monrf 
Robert  Raymond 
William  Hay 
Anthony  Rawling 
William  Revnoldii 
R.   N.  Rosfkrans 
Hfzekiah  Rodders 
Griften  Reynolds 
Roland  Rickerson 
liarmfch  Rosswell 
Micah  Rogers 
Richard  Rapalye 
Benj.  Rogers 
Henry  Reynolds 
Jame-  Riidi;eri 
John  Randel 
'Silas  Reynolds 
James  Rogers 
James  Ros* 
Mart;aret  Ross 
Augustine  Roger* 
Martha  Rogers 
John  B.  Rome>n 
S.  N.  Rowan 


Cornelius  Newlaud  Nathaniel  Penfield  John  Rodgers 


Zadock  Newbury 
William  Niles 
Mary  Nash 
Ebeuezer  Noyes 
Robert  Newby 
Ebenezer  Nish 
Henry  Northrop 
Ann  Nelson 
Josiah  Osborn 
John  M.  Ogden 


James  Pelham 
Letty  Purdy 
Jesse  Park,  jun. 
Timothy  Park 
Tamazin   Peek 
Roger  Purdy 


Moses  Rogers 
George  Randall 
\\'illiam  Robtrtson 
Micajah  Reynolds 
John  R.  B.  Rodger* 
Edward  Riley 


Elijah  Purdy,  jun.    David  Rice 


Asher  Pike 
William  Purdy 
J  >hn  Poillon 


Nehemiah  Oakley    Hantiah  Puo-sley 
Richard  H.   0>born  Joseph  Pell 


I.  I.  Ostranc'er 
William  Owen 
David  Oil  stea^ 
Ortis&  Miller 
Jicob  Oakley 
Peter  Obert 
Thomas  Oliver 
Joel  Osborn 
James  Oakley 
Sarah  Oakley 
William  Oakley 
Daniel'  Odell 


Sanjuel  Parsons 

Edmund  Pearsall 

Prior  &  Dunuing 

loo  copies 
Thoma?  Pearsall 
George  Parke 
James  Pahner 
Gi'bert  Pugsley 
Ji.shiia  Pieice 
Joshua  Pirrey 
V\  illiam  Powel,  jr, 
Sol  nion  Philips 


Melancton  Osborn  Warner  Pierce 
Nathaniel  Owen  Nathan  Porter 
C.  Ondenlonk  Ric'iard  Prior 

Daniel  Ogden  t'-f  Jimin  Peck 

F'.enj.  Prite  A'inel  F'ease 

S.muel  G.  Pearsall  Wm.  Penninan 


Ma.y  Pe)l 

John  Post 

R<  bert  Prwvost 

Jan*^  Piercy 

John  Pope 

William  P>;arsall 

[aiie  Pri-e 

Ri  Inrd  Palmer 

John  Patteijort 


David  Romain* 
Larii:eo  Rodney 
Elias  Ring 
Simeon  Romaine 
Wm.  Rosct'.rant 
Robert  Rohertgon 
Jasper  E.  Ruckle 
Peter  RcHjer's.m 
William  Rees 
William  Remsea 
Daniel  Rapelve 
S  ephen  Robins 
Samuel  Robins 
John  Ruslimore 
William    R-noud 
Stephen  Renoud 
Daniel  Rodger* 
Caleb  Rus<^ell 
Ezekiel  Robins 
Jo^.  pli  R-'ynoldi 
Sylvester  Roe 
Joshua  N.  Rice 
Thaddeut  Reed 


George  H.  Padd.ick  Oluer  R^srgl's 
Hei'/.ibeth  Petiys      DuiH  K«)gers 
David  Plumb    '        J  hn  Rogers 
David  Prari  James  Re>nnlds 

Ju:la!i  Paddock         Jim  s  Ra'naus 
Diniel  Power  Calvin  Reid 

0!i>cr  Partridge       Jif<.b  Ruiuial     , 
•S.'  pli.  P.  Partriilge  FJiakim  Reed 
Silai  Pipuon  M.  Ryndes 


subscribers'  names, 


Joseph  Reynolds 
Rinear  Ramson 
Isaac  Rainstin 
Jarvis  Rogers 
Benj.  S.  Reeve 
George  Strebeck 
James  Sniitti 
William  Smidi 
David  Smith 
John  W.  Starmaii 
Strung  Sturges 


Tunis  Slingerland 
Barnett  B.  Speere 
Garret  SickeU 
James  Scott 
Jtiiirdet  Stryker 
Selah  Smith 
James  H.  Spice 
Isaac  Smith 
Jciseph  P.  Smith 
Ozias  Smith 
Othniel  Smith 


James  Still  well 
James  St.ange 
liannali  Spencei 
Ezra  St.  John 
Francis  Sem 
Stephen  Sellick 


John  TiTwnsend        A.  Van  Wyck 
V\illiam  TownsendC.  Van  Wyck 


T.  &  J.  Swoi-Js,  30  E-  Sturtevant 

copies.  Wiiiiam  Standley 


Jacob  Smith 
Charlotte  Smith 
Andrew  F.  Smock 
Henry  Saunders 
Jonas  Sccor 
Catiiarine  Sickles 
Isaac  Sharp! ess 
Souther-  James  Sporce 
land  Cath.Siitlipp 
Isaac  Sherwood         Sohn  Smith 
Jeremiah  Shotwell  David  Stewart 
John  Shotwell  John  R.  Simonson 

Aaron  Smith  James  Searing 

A.  R.  Stephens  William  Sophu 

Richard  Speaight      Nathaniel  Sellick 


Saniuei  Sharp 
John  Sprowl 
Henry  Smith 
Rol)ert  Sands 
C.  Stewart 
William  Sperry 
John  Stewart 
6eger   &     " 


James  Sherwood 
C.  Stonehouse 
Wm.  T.  Slocum 
Miles  Sweeney 
John  W. Stout 
Joseph  Shotwell 
Alex.  Saunders 
Samael  Sherman 
Joshua  Sands 
isaac  Simonson 
Abraham  Seacor 
Matson  Smith 
Andrew  Smith 
Erving  Smith 
Nathan  Stilwell 
David  Seaman 
Oliver  Sc-cor 
Jejse  Sutton 
Jajnes  Stivers') 
Abel  Smith 
William  Sutton 
Jared  Strong 
Benj.  S.  Stewart 


VVm.  Sliarp 
Judah  Swizth 


John  Taylor  John  Van  VIeck 

Thomas Turnbull  D.  Van  Vaughlon 

William  Taylor  Isaac  Vitider 

Peter  S.  Titus  P.  S.  Van  Renselaer 

Edward  Southwick  Jytm  Totten  S.  Van  Renselaer 

Samuel  Scobey  Ki-bert  Tokrton  Elias  Vanderlip 

Samuel  Sexsey  Sanmel  Titus  Samutl  Vail 

Thomas  Skelding     Richard  Townsend  George  Vance 

Renselaer  Schuyler  George  Townsend  Peter  Van4i)on 

Joseph  Smith  Joshua  Titus  Matt.  Van  Vleck 

Daniei  Shields  John  Titus  John   Van  VIeck 

Thomas  Stewart       Charity  Tilford  D.VanVecnten 

William  Strong         Thomas  Theall  Isaac  Vedeler. 

Robert  Sempson        Catharine  Thomas  E.  L.  Vanantwerp 
David  S.CAart           Geo.  W.  Tompkins  30  cop. 

John  Shilling  Noah  Tompkins  Peter  I.  Vankleek 

John  Sinealle  Jona.  Tompkins  Jacob  Vanthieiea 

Daniel  Stewart         Caleb  Tompkins  Wm.  Valentine 

Samuel  Smith  Daniel  Talt  R^obert   Vai:keuien 

Munson  Smith  George  Tarfey  Uriah  Vanriper 

Cyrus Stebbens  Patr.  F.  Tighe  Daniei  Valeatine 

R.  Schermerhorn     John  Townsend  John  VanojfloU 

Joseph  Shurtlirt"         Henry  I.  Ttaver  John  Vj''  Duryee 

Thaddeus  Seely,  jr.  John  Thomas  Samuel  Vail 

Henry  Seely  Silas  TitHS  Moses  Vail 

Isaac  Satteily  Alex.  Tilford, jun.  John  Vad 

Abraham  Srickney   William  Titus  John  C.  Voght 


Benj.  Strong 


Abraham  Summers  jonatlian  Snepher 
John  C.  Stogiboom  Ann  Smith 
John  Swift  Solomon  Smith 

Jehoiakim  Skinkle     Eben  Smith 
Harvy  Sadd  Aaron  Sergeant 

C.  Sturtevant,  jun.  Seiah  Strong 
Henry  D.  Sedgwick  Moses  Shay 
Mitten  Sewar 


John  Titus 
David  Tree 
Samuel  Titus 
John  Tomkins 
Jacob  Tucker 
B.  Tompkins 
Cornelius  Toby 
Joshua  Toby 


EphraimG.  Swift 
Levi  Shepherd 
Peter  Stiingham 
Ostrom  Shepherd 
James  Sweet 
Henry  Swift 
Albert  Seaman 
Smith  &  Dutcher 
Jcr.  Shearman 
Libbeus  Swift 
Darius  Sweet 
Wm.  Southerland 
Hugh  Shearman 


John  Stoutenburgh  Ashbel  Thomas 

Willet  Seaman  John  Tibbets 

Thomas  Tuthill  Simeon 

Jrshua  Tci  ry  Dan iel  Taylor 

Tooker  &  Conklin  lolin  Tinkey 


James  H .  I'udd 
John  Tinkey 
Joseph  Tajlor 
S.  Troworidge 
James  Tiitlare 
N.  Taylor 
Thomas  Tutker 
Gilbert  Thorn 
Stephen  Titus 


Conrade  Tinkey 
Joseph  Tesman 
Benjamin  Tliurby 
Thomas  Tiiom 


G.  V.  Valkenburgh 
W,  Van  Rer.aselaer 
P.  Van  Rensselaer 
Solomon  Vail 
Jededjah  Varney 
Henry  A.  Vanulack 
George  D.  Vail 
Ezra  Vainey 
Eben  Whitney 
Solomon  Wheeler 
Tarpering  Mary  Woodward 
Matthias  Wall 
James  White 
Silas  B.Wells 
Tunis  A.    Waldron 
Elizabeth  Wragg 
A.  Williams 


Neh.Shere%vnod,jr  Wm,  Sherwood 
Fred.  Schmeman       AmosSanford 
F.  Sheereman,  jun.  Cyrus  Swan 
Elizabeth  Shute         Josiah  Stebt>ins 
James  Seacord, jun.  J«'in  W.  Smith 
David  Seacord 
Thomas  Shute 


James  Sonierville 
Robert  Snedeii 
'Ihos.  R.  Starkins 
Jf>£iali  Srtaco 
Clerk  Stepliens 
Jan>es  Smith 
Benjamin  Show 
Wiiiiam  Seymour 
Davii'  Sands  2  cop. 
D,  Stringhain 
J..hn  Sheffield 
Kob.Ti  Sutfun 
John  Sutton 
Thos.  Seymour 
Elizabeth  Stanley 
Alexander  Smith 
Henry  P.  Skinner 
John  Starr,  jnn. 
Ss  Ivanus  Steby 
JohnM..'anford 
John  Slocome 
Smith  6*  Forman, 


A.  Sterlin 

Armenia  Swift 

Ephraim  Smith 

Samuel  Stanlbrd 

Samuel  Strong 


Obadiah  Townsend  Anna  Underbill 
Samuel  Thorn  R.   Underbill 

Benj.  Townsend       John  Underbill 
Joseph  Tice  Benj,   Underbill 

lohn  Townsend        Bishop  Underbill 
William  Talman      Gilbert  Underbill 
Wm.  Titus,  9  cops.  John  Underbill 
Z.  Townsend  Isaac  I'pton 

James  Tiiorn,  jun.  l-aac  Upton,  jnn. 


Gilbert  Tompkins    James  Walker 
Amos  Undeihiil        Charles  Wheelcck 
Joseph  Uiu'.erhill      Charles  Wilcox 
Joshua  Underbill      J^hn  Watson 
Thomas    Underbill  Michael  White 
Amos  White 


John  Taylor 


Treadwell  Srudder  David  Thomas 


Caleb  Underbill 
Abm.  Uiiderhill 


Win.H.  Smith 
David  Staples,  jun. 
Nathaniel  Sliield 
Lewis  Stehbins 
Philip  Sickler 
A.  Stoutenburgh 
E.  Shearman 
Tnomas  1.  Storm 
Nathan  Serwood 
W.  Sewnrd,  jun. 
Nathaniel  Sa^kett 
A.  Sout'ierland 
William  Smith 
Caleb  Sutton 
Abraham  Schultz 
D.  Siiitlierland,  jr. 
D.  Say  re 
Samuel  Satkeit 


25  copies  Robert  Simmons 
George  B.  Sharp      John  Siilman 


Jn.nb  Ten  Evke 
Richard  S.  Treat 
A.  Ten  Broock 
J.  iel.  Towsend 
Plait  Titus 
Tatt  6-  Mead 
Sarah   Tupper 
Sailv  Tibbits 
Sarah  Tibbits 
Isaac  Thrall 
Andiew  Tracy 
SainU'  ITuthill 
Wm.  Tnwnsend 
John  Town  ley 
Michael  M.    Titus 
R^chara  Titus 
J.  Tiebout  25  cop. 
Abraham  Taylor 
Thomas  Tom 
James  Tillery 


Jonah  Willets 
Smith  Wood 
Henry  Wo'>lKey 
R.  Woolsey,  jun. 
B.I.  Woohcy 
Cerick  Westtrvelt 
Wm.  Woolley 
J  .hn  H.  Warner 
Cornelius  Wilisc 
Wm.  I.  Way 


Solomon    Underbill  Benj.  I.  Way 


James  Usher 
S.  Underbill 
Natlil.  Underh-ll 
James  Underbill 
P.  I.  Vanpelt 
G.  Van  Nostrand 
1.  A.  Van  H  ok 
A.   Van  Clecf 
T.  L.  Vandyke 
L.  Van  Nireirand 
Jubi'  Vanderpool 
John  Van  Blauom 
M  .  Van  GiesoM 
Thomas  Vauglian 
Hester  Vaiian 
Ja;«  es  Varick 
F.  Vandebursh 
R.'beri  Vantasse! 
J.  Van  Ncscrand 


Tliomas  Way 
Bartow  White 
Abm.  Witmore 
Hugii  Walsh 
Benj.  SMiraker 
L   Wh'tniore 
Robert    Wnigatc 
James  Walker 
tl'as  Willard 
Dr.  Woodruft' 
Elbert  Willet 
Stephen  Warner 
Elijah  White 
Tliomas  Waters 
E.  Willard  &  Co. 
Eliza  Willett 
Hezckiah  William* 
Wilson  &  Stotm 
J.  Watts 


SUBSCRIBEns'    NAMES- 


Sam»reJ  Wliallon 
William  Ward 
Luke  Woodwoflh 
James  Walker 
Kobert  Wengate 
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t.  White,  jun. 
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JSdward  Warrons 
Joseph  Warferd 
James  Wood 
Henry  Wood 
Asa  Wail 
David  Webb 
Francis  Ward 
John  Watts 
John  Warden 
Daniel  Westervelt 
Francis  Willson 
Charles  Wrislu 
Peter  Wilson 
Ebenez-r  White 
Geo.  Woodruff 
John  Ward 
Joseph  Whitnev 
John  W.  Wyman 
JfarmanS.  Wallark 
John  Westei  field 
Henry  Warts 
Daniel  D.  Walters 
J.ic  E.  Wier 
Joseph  L.  Wheeler 
Dennis  Ward 
.James  Whit  lock 
Marv  Woodress 
Ciiarles  Walker 
Thaddeus  Whitlock 
Benjamin  Webb 
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James  Wlker 
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Robert  Watts 
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Daniel  Willrtt 
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John  Wells 
William  Walker 
W.  H.  Wilson 
Samuel  Williams 
J.  Wriiiht 
ijenj.  Wright,  jun. 
Henry  Waters 
Gilbert  Williams 
Richard  Worth 
William  Worth 
Noah  Weetl 
Charles  Williams 
Sre^hen   Willard 
Cvriis  Williams 
.i:!ija!i\yiUiatrs 


John  Wilkes 
Reuben  Ward 
Jesse  Wri<,'ht 

Nicholas  Worell 
Jacob  Weekes 
Bavid  Webb 
Jacob  Wilber 
David  Winslow 
John  J.  WoJley 
James  Willets 
Silas  Wodell 
Jesse  Wakham 
Abner  White 
Charles  White 
Nehemiah  Wolley 
Isaac  White 
Peregrine  White 
John  H.  Weaver 
Amos  Whitson 
Jacob  Willets 
William  Willets 
Hufih  Walsh 
Moses  Webb 
Jotham  Waring 
James  Watson 
John  Wright 
John  W(x3 
James  Weeks 
Caleb  Weeks 
John  Young 
Abrahanj  Young 
John  Yates 
Samuel  You 
Elisha  Yale 
James  Youngs 
Abigail  Yelverton 
Henry  Youngs 
James  Young 
John  Young 
Edward  Young 
William  Young 
A.  C.  Zabriskic 

KEIV-JERSET, 

John  Adams 
Elijah  Ayres 
Joshua  Ayres 
Samuel  \yres 
Josiah  Andrews 
Samuel   Atkinson 
John  Atkinson 
Ralph  Akerman 
Marquis  Alward 
George  Bacon 
Levi  Bond 
Richard  Bond 
Benjamin  Bacan 
Thomas  Bacoji 
David  Bacon 
Abel  B:icon 
Richard  Barker 
Uriah  Bacon 
Joel  Bereman 
I?aac  Brown 
Thomas  Brown 
Joseph  Brown 
Ephraim   Bishop 
Jeremiah  Buck 
John  Buck 
Thomas  Burch 
Daniel   Burt 
William  Duzby 
John  Brown,  jr. 
W,  Bia.Uvay 
Joseph  Basset 
Adna  Bradway 
John  B.  H'>wman 
Henry  Brimce 
Richard  Barnard 
Cyril-:  Barnard 
Kir.h'd  Barnaidjir 


Joseph  Barnard 
William  Boswell 
Thaddeus  Bruin 
Samurl  F.  Burdye 
Isaac  Beach 
John  bantam 
Samuel  Ball 
Mary  Baldwin 
Jianiel  Budd 
Jacob  Bumstead 
Samuel    Baldwin 
Ichabod  Baldwin 
Joseph  Baldwin 
John  Bloomer 
Isaac  W.Crane 
James  Clark 
Nathan  Cooper 
Reuben  Cufi 
Thoii.asCock 
CharlesCollody 
Robert  Clendenen 
John  P.  Cornell 
William  Clark 
Ichabod  Crane 
William  Crocker 
Benj,  Cleveland 
John  C.  Crane 
Mary  Cocker 
Job  Copperthwaite 
Nich's  Cownhovcn 
Philip  Carr 
Harry  Caldwell 
John  L.  Cole 
William  Clark 
Abm.  T.  Cadmus 
Herman  Cadmus 
Peter  I.  Cadmus 
John  Cornitison 
John  Shcerman 
David   Clark 
John  Dare 
Elnatiian  Davis 
Jonathan  Davis 
I«aac  Davis 
Ebenezer  Davis 
Richard  Davis 
David   Davis 
Reubtn  Davis 
Ephraim   Dayton 
James  Dorsett 
Priscilla   Dears 
Fred.  Deetwicter 
Samuel  Dodd 
Cyrus  Dodd 
T.  S.  Dodd 
Moses  Dodd. 
W.  B.  Ewing 
Jacob  Elwell 
Jonathan  Elmer 
Timothy  Elmer 
Saauiel   Ellis 
John  Ellis,  jun. 
Lewis  Kvaus 
Mary  Ellis 
Jiseph  El  win 
\Villiam  Ellison 
Robrrt  Ea.born 
Seely  Fithiaro 
Thomas  French 
John  Fuiniaii 
William  Furman 
Geo.  M.  Furnntj 
Eli/.iil.eth  Fraley 
Beiij.   B,  Frafcc 
David  Oilman 
John  Gumm're 
Charles  Gordon 
Benj.  Grisciim 
William  Griscom 
Peter  H.  Gorgas 
JohiiGre  n 
William  Grant 

4    K 


John  R.  Gonld 
Jonathan  Holmes 
John  Holmes 
Thomas  Harris 
Jeremiah  Harris 
Samuel   Hains 
Joivathan  Hilyard 
Jacob  Hilyard 
Isaac  Harrison 


Stephen  Paulliti 
Benajah  Parvin 
Caleb  C.  PaiKoasC 
Isaac  Pine 
Aaron  PancoasC 
John  Pesely 
Alex.  Provest 
Caleb  Pennoik 
James  Pyle 


Sam.  W.  Hartshorn  Samuel  Pennpck 
James  Hinchman       Siacv  Potts 


Charles  Hannah 
J(vs«-iiih  Harris 
John  Hancock 
Hezekiah  P.  Hart 
Robinson  Howel 


Thomas  Peniuer 
Jacob  Price 
Samuel  Pat 
John  Poork 
Nathaniel  Rulon 


M.  M.HardenbergU  William  Rose 
James  Houston  E"os  Raiiiolph 


Esther  Hayes 
Sally  Hunniwell 
William  Heyer 
Alphe««s  Hews 
Peter  He>*enberjr 


Samuel  Ri.eve« 
Charle-  Reeves 
Biiidie  Reevei 
Jesse  R.  uman 
Abm.  Rodiiers 


John  C.  Hedenberg  Richaul  Rird 
James  T-   Harrisou  Thos.  H.  Roaers 
Josiah  Horn bliwer    George  Rohdee 


Lemuel  Jones 
John  L.  Johnson 
Agnes  Jorden 
Henry  Johnson 
Richard  lobs 
Moses  Jaques 
Abel  Jacks(m 
Abm.  Joralcmon 
P.  Jackson 
R.  Kelley 
Samuel  Kirby 
Jonathan  Kerr 
AarOH  Kitig 
Reuben  Ludlam 
Joseph  Ludlam 


Hujh  P.  Ross 
Cliarlet  Ramsay 
Charles  Rogers 
R.  W.  Shepherti 
John  Shepherd 
Wm.  Shepherd 
Mary  Shi  plierd 
Anania:  Statham 
Richard  Seely  " 
David  ShepherJ 
Wm.  H.  Solly 
Harvy  Shepherd 
James  Shepherd 
Furmnii  Slifpherd 
Abel  Shepherd 


Ephraim  Luminis  Nathan  Sli»pherd 
George  Lanoing  Josiah  Sliephe,rd 
John  Lanniiig,  jun.  Samuel  iM.Shute 
PheHrasLiTd  JacubShull 

Edmund  Lafetra 


James  Lawrence 
Peter  Lintiman 
James  B.  Low 
Joseph  Lyon 
D»  F.  Lix^kwood 
Rithard  Ludlow 
Ephraim  MuHord 
David  MuUwrd 
John  Miller 
Isaac  Mulford 
Jacob  Miller 
Robert  Mar  gee 
Enoch  H.  Moore 
Jacob  Mem  t 
Win.  T.Miller 
Junes  Morris 
J(ni|>ii  Miller 


Ebenezfr  Seely 
Daniel   P.  StrattOJj 
Michael  Seving 
Deborah  Stewart 
Galiriel  Sw>in 
Thomas  Skin 
Samuel  Siiute 
James  Si  retch,  jun, 
Jacob  Sbaip 
Nehemiah  Sullivaa 
Mary  Shourds 
Joseph  Stewart 
Pf-ter  Smiley 
Geurae  Sherman 
JisperSmitli 
E:  /a  Siiaw 
Robert  Shotwell 
Daiiirl  Shotwell 


Cliristoplier   Mason  Nathan  Seabury 
R' bert  M'Neely        Clnrles  Slnpnun 


George  Moit 
Mary  Morrell 
AlfX.  Moniieth 
Ahijah  Moore 
Joiiii  Morris,  jun. 


Joseph  .Sailer 
AmosSaltrr 
Gaius  Smith 
Marv  G.Smith 
Jo^cj)!.  S.glcr 


Eli/.ab.   M'Creckon  John  Stimis 


Jimes  M'Cieilie 
Jarob  Marcell 
Jon  V.   Mac  kett 
CvTn't  I^landeville 
Pe'er  Maverick 
John  Moore 
Michael  M.Niill 


Danii-l  Sf'acord 
Beiijaiiiin  Tyler 
Samuel  Tvler 
Jam^s  Toinlinson 
Abr^.liam  Tiltoti 
George  Tatum 
Josh.  Thompson.jr. 


W  iiliam  Nicholson  Jacob  Thompson 
Marv  Nace  An«!rrw  Thompsoa 

James  Nutmaii         1  homas  Tilton 
Lewis  P^ulliri  Eliiabeth  Thofnas 


SUBSCRIBEAS*    NAM^S 


Benjamin  Tayton 
Benjamin  Thorn 
^eliera.  Tichenor 
H.  Van  Dursdalen 
1>.  F.  Van  Liew 
Isaac  Vail 
Jas.    Vanderventer 
MannaliVandeibeek 
Hannari  Vavorse 
Sylves.    Vanbeuren 
Si  mean  Van  Hoaton 
A.  A.  Van  Houton 
Richard  Woort 
Tlowel  P.  Wation 
Benjaiiiin  West 
Isaac  Wheaion 
David  Wood 
Ephraim  Westcott 
John  Westcott 
Amos  Westcott 
Samuel  Wc-stcolt 
Granv.  Woolman 
Samuel  Willi* 
Peter  Welsii 
Bcivj.  Weatherby 
■Wni,  Waddington 
Joseph  WhitalT 
John  F.  Warner 
Sebastian   Wcender 
George  Weender 
William  Windle 
.Ibhn  S.  Wilson 
Matthew  White 
Ambrose   Williams 
Philip  Williams 
A'exaiuler  Wilstsn 
Bethel  Ward 
Benjamin  Welter 
Thomas  Wills 
L/.ekiel  Wade 
Elislia  Webb 
Timotliy  Willii 
Isaac  Yard 

PE.\'NSrLVA- 
I\IA. 

John  AUop 
Edwin  A.  Atlee 
Xane  Allen 
W.  Adams 
i'horuas    Anderson 
Nich.  Armbnister 
Thomas  Ashton 
W;n.  Anderson 
Kobert  Arthurs 
T4i()nias  Agncw 
Jolin  AUen 
Jacob  Borid 
Nlary  Barr 
V\"m.  Beat<>s 
Jacob  Bible 
Mary  liarrv 
Aaron  B  ugNman 
Jacob  bennet 
G.  lireideiiliurt 
Midiael  Boyle 
<?eo;  ge  Burden 
Miry  liall 
lyisiin  Brown 
Lutiicr  Bans 
Mchael   Baker 
\\m.  Booth 
Frederick  Boley 
Rebecca  Brown 
'riiomas  B  'vIe 
Matthew   Brown 
Sirah  Boyle 
jjimes  Bousall 
Wirr  S    Beavan 
Sa  n-ifl  Baldwin 
J6;jn  BaMNvin 


Wallace  Boyd 
George  Boxton 
John  Burrows 
Susanna  Brinton 
James  Brinton 
John  Brumfield 
Christian  Breneman 
Eleanor  Barker 
Thomas  Brown 
William  Barnett 
R.  Burke  lo  cop. 
Thomas  Baldwin 
Jane  havington 
Mary  C.  Cryder 
Solomon  Cumming 
Michael  Crate 
Godfrey  G.  Cope 
Joim  Crockett 
John  Crates,  jun. 
Samuel  Care 
John  G.  Capp 
George  Climer 
Michael  Casey 
John  Craig 
Mary  Cornell 
John  Chapman 
Jacob  Carrjgan 
John  J,  Cole 
Joseph  Carter 
Benjamin  Collins 
John  Ciomwell 
Wm.  Cummings 
George  Clark 
Jeremiaii  Clark 
WtK)dvvard    Crosby 
Moses  Coates 
Joseph  Cottrell 
Wm.  Chamberlain 
John  Chamberlain 
John  Carpenter 
Josh.  Chamberlain 
Samuel  Carpenter 
John  Coohran 
Isaac  Conrad' 
Calvin  Cooper 
Abraham  Cornell 
Alex.  Chandler 
William  Chambers 
John  Chipman 
John  Crossby 
Joseph  Dickinson 
Wm.  Dis:kiniin 
Chris.  H.  Denckla 
John  Delavace 
Ann  Drummoiid 
Ricliard  Dougherty 
Noah  Davis 
Nathan  Dickinson 
Thomas  Downing 
Richard  Downing 
Joseph  R.  Downing 
Hunt  Downing 
Samuel  Downing 
Joseph  Dunbar 
John  M.  Dill 
Bilsure  Drake 
Jocob  M.  Dill 
Jaci.b  Demuth 
I'Vaocis  Downing 
Doctor  DeiTesne 
Amos  Dixon 
Samuel  W.  Doak 
Joseph  Delany 
James  Dvre 
Caleb  Diiworth 
Isaac  Davis 
Thomas  Evans 
Benjamin  Eslen 
J  sepii  H.  Erwhi 
Th..;iiasH.  Elliott 
William  Evans 
jacul)  Eilwalds 


Nathan  Evans 
Thomas  Edge 
Wnu  fberman 
Joseph  Ehenfried 
John  Eberlien 
Thomas  Ewart 
John  Ely  lo  cop. 
Mary  Fougery 
Hannah  Ford 
Elizabeth  Flanagan 
Elizabeth  Farr 
George  Fttler 
Joseph  Fearon 
John  Fisher 
Eli;!;b.  Flankinhorn 
Arthur  Forbis 
John  Frailey 
William  Findley 
Jonathan  Furman 
Miles  Foster 
Richard  French 
Elizabeth  Gorden 
Sarah  Graham 
John  H.  Gartley 
Jo-rph  Grubb 
Conrad  Gyrne 
Peter  Gardiner 
Wm.  Gardinet 
Samuel  Garrett 
Nathan  Garrett 
Thomas  Garrett 
Joseph  George 
Elisha   Gatchel 
Wui.  Gheen 
James  Gamble 
James  Glasby 
Thomas  Glasby 
Joseph  Gest,  jun. 
Andrew  Grivens 
Wm.GJaspia 
Josejjh  Gregg 
George  Gregg 
Jisc-i>h  Guilkey 
Moses  Gillingham 
Thomas  Gilbert 
Y.  Gillinjjham 
Hannah  G^ibbs 
Mary  G:bbs 
George  J.  Henry 
James  Hunter 
George  C.  Haass 
John  Hilsee 
Elizabeth  Hilhorn 
Elijah  Hammond 
John  Hutchinson 
John  Haim 
Martha  Humphreys 
J-nathan  Haycock 
Jesse  Haves 
Joseph  I'.ibbaral 
Jo-jeph    Hollowell 
Ahraham  Heston 
Isaac  Kawh'w 
Sarah  E.    Hannum 
Jo'cph  Hunt 
J  ist-plj  Harvuot 
William  Hore 
Thomas  Henderson 
Robert  Hore 
Aaron  Howard 
John  J.  Henry 
John  Hantsch 
Amos  Harmer 
Israel  Honps 
David  4illis 
Naihan  Harper 
Abraham  Harrison 
R.bert  Moll  born 
Ebeneaer  Hejdly 
Josepii  Johnson 
Ruth  Ji-'ukins 
Ddfiiei  James 


Joseph  Justice 
Edward  Jones 
Hallidav  Jackson 
Ann  Johnson 
James  Johnson 
James  Jackson 
Margaret  Jones 
George  Knox 
Andrew  Kenedy 
J  isiah  S.  Kay 
George  Keatet 
Margaretta  Kerlin 
Jesse  Kersey 
Nathaniel  Kady 
Wm.  Kirkvvood 
William  Kesier 
Israel  Kenton 
Panl  Knight 
Betsy  Kini!; 
Abm.  Keyser 
VViliiani  Laird 
John  M.  Leod 
H.  Lewis,  jun. 
Joseph  Lyndall 
James  F.  Lee 
Samuel  Lippincott 
Joseph  Lea 
Jacob  Lasher 
George  C.  Lenter 
Samuel  Levis 
Asher  Lobb 
Samuel  Levis,  jun. 
Osborn  Levis 
Hester   Lobb 
Samuel  Long 
John  Lightner 
Samuel  Letisver 
Joel  Lightner 
Isaac  Leeds 
Hugh  Lloyd 
John  Miinor 
John  Mitchell 
Mary  M'Kinny 
JohH  M'Kinny 
Christian  Miller 
Benjamin  Mastin 
Ann  M'Pherson 
John  M'Allister 
Jiihn  Murphey 
John  M'Farland 
John  Milner,  jun. 
Hugh  S.  Magee 
Ruth  Morris 
James  M'Clay 
Rebecca  Mitchel 
Ferdinand   Morayh 
William  Moore 
George  Martin 
Sarah  Marshall 
<^;eorge  Miller 
Jacob  Malin 
Samuel  Malin 
Samuel  Moore 
James  Moxton 
Charles  Mowry 
Samuel  Moon 
James  M'Kim 
Samuel  F.  Marsh 
James  M'Chesney 
James  M'Connaghy 
James  Manu 
Reuben  Marsh 
Robert  M'CI>esney 
Robert  M'llvaine 
John  M'Roy 
G  forge  Mars 
Archibald  M'Curdy 
Mary  A.  M'Oonald 
Jesse  Miller 
Jonathan  Mifflin 
Francis  Murray 
Wm,  Mu?grove 


William  Mansct 
Amos  Mitchell 
John  Meridith 
Rudolph  Morva 
Philip  M'Elway 
John  M'llvaina 
Giles  Newion 
James  Nagbe 
Isaac  Nightingale 
Nathaniel   Newlin 
John  Noy 
David  Nelson 
Sarah  Osborne 
Jonathan  Owen 
William  Otley 
Hugh  Orn 
Jesse  Owen 
Richard  Pry or 
John  Philips 
Henry  Probasco 
B^ijamin  Perkins 
Alexander  Purvis 
Stephen  Payran 
John  Pemberton 
Elisha  Parker 
Sarah  Price 
Caleb  Price 
Aaron  Pursae 
Mary  Picard 
John  Pugh 
David  Pumeroy 
Dell  Pen  nel 
Jonarhan  f^nncll 
John  Powell 
Samuel  Pugh 
John  Pirn 
Joseph  Paxson 
Benjamin  Paxson 
Jonathan  Paxson 
William  Powers 
Jacob  Pennock 
Michael  Pigeon 
Robert  Pation 
William  Pyle 
Jonathan  Pyle 
Joshua  Pusey 
Joshua  E.  Puse^- 
Benjamin  Paschal! 
George  (^uigley 
Joel  Ray 
Wm.  L.  Read 
John  Reakirt 
Thomas  Rose 
Williai«  Ruff 
Elizabeth  Ryal 
Joseph  Richards 
Mary  Richards,  jr. 
Francis  Renshaw 
Carh.  Richardet 
John  Reed 
Thomas  Roberts 
Samuel  Rdoads 
Israel  Roberts 
Josepn  Richmond 
John  Riis-el  ^ 

Robert  Reed 
Danirl  Reigart 
John  Rose 
John  Roth 
Isaac  Reed 
Richard  Rue 
Gilbert  Redman 
"William  Rawlins 
Jacob  Rogers 
Joseph  Shoemaker 
Amos  Stackhousc 
Richard   Sermon 
Stoke ly  Sturgis 
Ann  Sprogell 
Christian  Suiter 
John  G.  Simmons 
'J'.JliU  Smith 


subscribers'  names 


Daniel  Steghen*  jr.  Joel  Woulman 

Jacob  Smith  Jacob  Warrell 

Abin.Sboeinaker 

Nathan  Smith 

William  Stokes 

Charles  Shustcr 

Henry  Snyder 

Sophia  Streton 

Leonard  Snowden 

William  Salter 

"Wm.  M.Stewart 

JosiaD  Siddons 


Lewis  Wernwav 
Thonpias  Warrell 
Isaac  Whitelock 
Jeise  Waterman 


Henry  CowsUan 
Henry  Cook 
JosepU  Caldwell 
isabrllaCol;Kn 
David  Carson 
Thomas  Campbell 


Abraliam  Warner    Sintuel  Cranfbrd 


Edward  Smith 
Ezekiei  Starrat 
George  Swayne 
John  Sharplesi 
Nathan  Sharpless 
Amos  Slaymaker 
Isaac  Smith 
James  Snwart 
Jacob  Soiiders 
Wilson  Smith 
Jamt-s  Steel 
Caleb  Sharpless 


St;tli.W«n» 
Nicholas  Wain 
E'ias  Yarnall 
Matthias  Yoftng 
Jntob  Zigler 
Matthias  Zahn 

DELAIVARE. 

Beiij.  Browcr 
Stilumon  JSeckl^y 


James  Clark 
Patrick  Coulsnn 
John  Cowman 
William  Caiby 
Leonard  Donsee 
William  Dimn 
John  Davidson 
Richard  Degroff 
Philip  Dcver 
Isaac  Ofiwr 
John  Davis 


Margaret  vV.  Blake  H.  H.  Dorsey 


Mary  Bonsai 
William  Baldvvin 
William  Clark 
SamI  Carnahait 
John  Crozier 


Leonard    Shallcross  Joseph  Downing 


John  Shallin-ss 
Th.  Scatter  good 
Moses  Stacy 
John  Stark  ton 
Nathan  A.  Smith 
Isaac  Thomas 
John  Torr,  jim, 
David  Tho^ias 
John  Tomlinson 
James  Thompson 


William  Foulk 
Charles  flillyard 
Evan  Lewis 
Geori^e  Monro 


John  B.  Dixon 
John  W.  Dutton 
James  M.  Day, 
Eliza.  Enjlish 
Sarah  Ennis 
James  Emerson 
N.'W.  Easton 
Sarah  Faber 
Nicholas  Ford 
Susannah  Foiks 


Eliza.  Montgomery  Peter  Fenby 
Richard  Mow  Jan       Cath.  Ferguson 


Hannah  Nichols 
William  Poul 
Henry  Rice 
Margaret  Rasin 


Marg.  Titterniary    Jame^  Smitli 


Joseph  Torr 

Asher  Tharp 

John  Tliomas 

Samuel  Tremble 

Abel  Thomas 

Eli  Thomas 

Jane  Tliompson 

James  Tygart 

Jos.  Thornsborough    MARYLAND 

Charles  Tees 

Samuel  Temple 

ion  at  ban  Tliomaj 

Joseph  Thompson 

Jesse  Town  send 

Aiex.  TJrqubart 

Geo.  Vanderslite 

Be.ij.  Vandergrift 

S  Witherill,  jun. 

James   Wickhani 

Th'niai   Williams   Charles  Brown 

John  Willis  Benj.  Berry 

Thomas  Whitecar     Thomas  Bromlin 

Martha  Williamson  Alex.  Buckanan 

Joiiii   Wilson  John  Bonds 

Rebecca  Wilson       John  Berry 

Jacob  VVarren 

Kiiward  Wilson 

Alexander  Wilson 

Mai  V  Wilson 


Samuel  A.  Smitb 
John  Si>»ith 
James  Stair 
Joshua  Vansant 
Stephen  Wilson 
Es'hcr  Watter 
Abijah  Yates 


Joseph  Armstrong 
John  Arnjstrong 
Michael  Abbott 
MartJia  Austin 
Hugh  Allen 
I.  6-S.  Addison 
John  Bants 
L.  Barry 
Nancy  Bouchill 


Henry  Freeman 
Henry  Fitch 
David  Grayham 
James  Grimes 
Joltfi  Giddleman 
Mary  Gibbins 
John  Glinn 
Henry  Gracey 
Ann  Gorny 
Bernard  Gilpin 
Hugh  Hamilton 


Levin  Mills 
Daniel  M'Selton 
Edward  Mori.»an 
Joshua  Miles' 
James  Masrjn 
Mirgaret  M'Bull 
Mary  Maj;bill 
Jesse  Mi,r<4an 
Lewis  Miller 
T.  M"i  id  ion 
John  M'liilire 
William  Morgan 
B.isil  Nf  Ison 
John  Nicholson 
Michael  Nary 
Dennis  N  ;wiand 
Benj.  Nottu 
James  N"rris 
Nathan  Norrit 
T.  Norris,  2  copies 
David  Nesvion 
James  Oldham 
Mary  Ann  Oldliam 
I.S.  Ovacre 

iames  Orr 
;iizibeth  Paneu 
Peter  Poter 
Nathaniel  Philips 
Thomas  Pattern 
^VlHianl  Parks 
Thomas  Por 
Thomas  Ruse 
Daniel  T.  Rankin 
Alexander  Russel 
Jane  Riu;g 
G.  K.  Rummel 
Angus  RobS 
Anguilla  Rose 
John  Randall 
John  Richardson 
Wm.  H.  Rapp 
George  Rhrxies 


H.  Hollingworth  Wm.  Robinson 
George  Hussey  Luke  Reed 

James  Harrison         Conrad  Roud 
Edward  Hall  R.  A.Shipley 

I.  H.  W,  HawkiHS    John  Sclatter 
Wm.  niB^imes        Adam  Stove 


•llBrr., 
Howser 


Sarah  Spencer 
Amelia  I.  Smalley 
G.  Sharer 
Ruth  I.  Staples 
Susannah  Sharer 
Ann  Stewart 
John  Snyder 


William  Wester 
William  Watts 
William  Wallace 
George  Widdows 
Joiin  Williams 
loseph  Wain 
Samuel  West 
Thomas  Wallace 
Roger  Watkins 
Joseph  W  illiams 
David  Witmer 
Ann  Walter 
William   Wright 
Saniyei  Wood 
Jamrs  Wright 
Stephen  Wilson 
fcriiitmi  W.titci 


Robert  Benton 
Nicholas  Berlin 
Robert  Bruice 
Isaac  Broughlon 
Eliza  Hishop 
Lewis  Barker 
Isaiah  Balderstun 
S.  Brown 
John  Burges 
Joseph  E.  Bentley 
John  Connor 


Danie 

John  Hov^ser 

Jarse^  Hurs 

Francis  Horner 

J..hn  Hory 

Samuel  Hopkins 

Gerrard  Hopkiii 

Samuel  S.  Hopkins    John  Seabel 

Andrew  Jordon         James  Smith 

I.  1.  Johnton 

Waiter  Jinkins 

J;ici>b  Jones 

Loyk  Johnson 

SoUiinon  John-on 

John  Kin 


William  Stillt 
John  Stewart 
Matthew  S^iulsbey 
Henry  Shark 
Wm.  Shield 
Fred.  Slielfield 


JO  copies.  Daniel  Sransbury 
David  Krou^  Mary  Stanley 


Jwiin  Krebs 
John  Kell;y 
.Samuel  Rmeard 
James  Lowrey 
Joseph  Ixaiiy 
B.irliary  Lawton 
Jacob  Latrtra 


Nathaniel  Cleevcr    John  Mack 


Francis  Clark 
Samuel  Cook 
G.  Cumerly 
Thomas  Childs 
Thomas  Coulson 
Martha  Clark 
Hatiiiibal  Chester 
Samuel  Cliubb 
Rut»CitCra5;;$ 


Johii  Sykes 
Gr.r;;r  Stout 
Richard  Snowden 
Thnnias  Siiuwden 
Pliilip  Snowden 
Ai^iia  Taylor 
JaneTiiomp^on 
Jt>hn  E.  Thornton 


Archit.ald  M'Brcad  Henry  I'mnaiins 


John   Merrikin 
Alexander  Marr 
John  M'Collochy 
Chi  istr.  Meader 
F.  Murinernuu 
John  M'DomieP.y 
Jacob  Me\er» 
Jame;  M'COimick 


Mavy,  I  Thompson 
Mary  T.Tlumip  on 
Thomas  Taylor 
Elil.u  Foiikard 
Joim  Valliai  t 
John  \Vl,ittemore 
D.   Wl.it-ti.r.L 


Peter  L.  White 
John  Williams 
John  WiH>d<; 
I.  Winslandiv 
Josiah  Williiisr 
Josepii  William's 
Michael  Wall 
John  Waters 
Joseph  White 
Eliza  Winters 
William  Winters 
Wiriiam  Wallice 
Charles  Waskey 
Alexander  Yearly 
Samuel  Yusell 

DISTRICT  (fP 
COLUMBLL 

Thomas  Adams 
Jacob  Bough 
Stephen  B.  Bla^b 
Enoch  Busson 
Aden  B.  Ducket 
Henry  S.  Eearl 
Ebenezrr  Eliasoti 
Henry  Ferris 
Anna  Fox 
Martin  Fisher 
Thomas  Gettens 
James  H.  HaiQiltan 
Nathaniel  H.  Heath 
John  Ja-my 
William  Jollifte 
Zenas  Kinsey 
Vincent  King 
John  Little 
Leonard  Mackall 
Wm.  Mark  ward 
Bolitha  Laws 
Margaet  Linnsdon 
Rebecca   Lawren#e 
William  Liupljlet 
William  Mor:»an 

2cop'es, 
Wm.  M'Kinny 
William  Nevitt 
Jerome  Phtinmcr 
Thamas  Paten 
T.  R.  Rici.ardsou 
Geor<.>e  R.  Rilty 
John  'R(  ss 
laac  Robbins 
Edward  Stabler 
David  SimmoHr 
Samuel  Suayire 
M.Schofield 
Thomas  Shruce 
Joseph  Smith 
Peter  Saunder*. 
H.  Scott 
Richard  H.  Tin 
J;)hn  Th  imai 
Samuel  Wh?eler 
Stephen  Web-lsr 
Jolin  Vv'f  •It 
William  Yate^- 

VIRCISIA. 

Joseph  Hond 
Nat'.iiniel  Hai:!i 
John  Hains 
Samuel  Howe! 
Israel  Janney 
]\a!^  Ja:iney 
Samuel  M'l»he:«)*j 
Wm.  M'Piierson 
Aca  Moorr,  10  copr. 
Rebecca  !*eil 
Si'muc!  Sv.aTr.e 


SUBSCRIBERS'     NAMES. 


TVie  follo'iuing  Katnes  ivere  received  too  late  for  insertion  in  their  proper  places. 


hlEU'-rORK, 

Ozias  Ansley 
Abin.  R.  Adriance 
Theo^.  Adriance 
William  Aikeiis 
Bftsey  Blossom 
Abner  Baker 
Nathaniel  Britton 
James  Butler 
IS'atlianiel  Butler 
Samuel  Bartin 
Israel  Bedell 
Anihony  Bird 
Josepfi  Bailey 
John  Benjamin 
Edward  \V.   B  ake 
Vinant  Boriine 
James  Bodine 
Jo!in  Campbell 
Abm.  Crocheron 
Daniel  Crocheron 
Jacob  Crocheron 
Nathanel  Coir 
D.  Clianiberlain 
F.  Cheesman 
Matthias  Dehart 
John  Dunn 
Cor.  Dissosway 
Richard  Dubois 
I.  R.  Dissosway 
David  N.  C.  Davis 
"William  De^uot 
Walter  Dongan 
John   Date 
JirvisDiiseiibeny 
Mark  Dissosway 
Tunis  Egbert 
Isaac  F.  Grithth 
fieorge  Faitoiite 
joim  Garretsun 
John  Gore 
James Gnvon,   jun. 
Content  Garrison 
Jacob  Gosline 
Jacob  Garretsoa 
Mary  Hiliker 
Abm.  P.  HousHian 
John  Ihilfield 


P.  W,  Haughwout 
1*.  E.  Hiui^hwout 
Rachel  Henry 
Thoujas  Hyatt 
N.  Hinclimaii 
John  Hewlett 
I=aiih  Jenin^s 
Zacharia-  K.uyper 
Daniel  Laurens 
Peter  Low 
Phebe  Lott 
David   Lamberson 
Dr'boiali  Mersereau 
Mary  Merrell 
Daaiel  Merell 
I  yon  Nlerrell 
John  Morgan 
William  Micheau 
Joshua  Mersereau 
Stephen  Mersereau 
John  Morgan 
Clis.  M'Sinion?on 
Cornelius  Martins 
Cath  M'Millen 
David  Mersereau 
J'jlin  Martling 
Benjamin    Marcino 
Cbarity  Mofiic 
Wm.  Maxwell 
J.  S.  Messenger 
John  Nckles 
James  Nation 
Samuel  Neil«on 
Israel  Oakley 
Daniel  Owen 
A  bra!) am  Parker 
Abm.  Prall,  jun. 
Benjamin  Parker 
John  Piiiliips 
Wm.Parremore 
Isaac  Piatt 
Peter  Roshang 
Matthew  Rid2;way 
Nathaniel  it^obins 
Abraham  Rickliow 
John  Ray 
George  Ray 
Ann  Ryerss 
Margaret  Robertson 


Ben.  Rowland 

Daniel  Simonson 

Barnt.  Simonson 

Reuben  Simonson 

William  Seaman 

Jane  Sei^uine 

James  Seguine 

John  Storms 

Ebenr.  Shareman 

Jonathan    Stidetbrt  Isaac  Cade 

Tliomasl.  Storm      Jacob  Davis  Jun. 


George  Arvis 
John  Butcher 
Ann  Bishop 
Grace  Basset  t 
Bethuel  Berton 
Isaac  Cooper 
Thomas  Colea 
Jonathan  Colson 


Joseph  Ogden 
Hannah  Piuini 
Provost   &     Wash- 

mgton 
Abel  Rielon 
Pancoast  Roberts 
James  Risby 

^ Ben.   Robinson 

William  Carpenter  Enoch  Roberts  Juir; 
William   Rogers 


Abraham  Sleight 
Mary  Sanderson 
Adam  Stauley 
Benjamin  Sneden 
L.  G.  Stanbrough 
Gilbert  H.  Sayres 
Rem  Snedeker 
Abrm.  Snedektr 
John  Skidmore 
James  Totten 
Jacob  Tyson 
Oliver  Taylor 
John  Taylor 
Eleanor  Talman 
Henry  Titus 
John  Vanuelt 
Jacob  Vreeland 
Daniel  Van  Uuzen 


Thomts  Dickson 

George  Davis 

Edmund    Darnell 

Gabriel  Davis 

William  Eldridge     Barziila  Scott 

Edmund  French       William  Smith 


Samuel  Roberts 
William  Roberts 
James  Saunders 
Jsaiali  Shlnn 
Uriah  Siiinri 


Sarah  Garwood 
Joseph  Groft' 
Letitia  Grojf 
Rachel  Gibson 
Richard  Hunt 
Amos  Haines 
Samuel  Hancock 
John  Hall 
John  Haines 
Job  Haines 
Samuel  Holmes 
John  Inskeep 


A.  Van  Duzen,  jun.  Abel  Jickson 
John  Vandebilc         Abrm.  Jeralemon 


J.  Va'entine 
Stephen  Wood 
James  Wood 
Moses  E.  Woed 
Jocob  Winant 
Peter  Winant 
Thomas  Wright 


P.  Jackson 
Joseph  Kaigliin 
James  Kaighin 
S.  B.  Lippincot 


James  Simpson 
Aguila  Stokes 
S,  L.  Saunders 
John  Stiles 
John  Tatimi 
Wallace  Taylor 
Hannah  Thompson 
Samuel  Tonkin 
Thomas  Thorn 
William  Thorn 
John  L.  Vannemar. 
Ezra  VVo-HlriifT 
John  Woodward 
Lewis  Watson 
William  White 
David    Walker 
Edmund  WetUerly 
JohnWistar 


Samuel   Lippii<cot    Preston  Womlnat 
Aaron  Lippincot       Benjamin  Wright 


Hope   Lippincot 


Cornelius  Woglam  Abel  Lippincot 


Joseph  Wolf 
Jacob  Wilkins 
JoIm  Merrell 
Daniel  Parvin 
Charles  Rufus 
Henry- Waddle 


Abner  Wilcox  Joshua  Lippincot 

John  VVillsee  Isaac  Lippincot 

Samuel  Welling       Joseph  Mickle 

Joshua  Wright  Isaac  Mickle 

C.  Webster  jun.       Elizabeth   W.  Mil-  Henry  Parshall 

[  ler  Edmund  Trench 
NEIV-JERSEY,  Thomas  Mason  Thoma*  Keir 

George  Mickle  Joseph   Haightoii 

Joseph  Aitkinson      Joseph   Matlack        James  Haigljton 
Grace  Allen  John  Matlack 


